A Galei Zahal (Army Radio) investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of a student in a munitions explosion on Monday has raised questions about the division of responsibility for clearing unexploded ordnance from civilian areas in northern Israel.
In Monday's incident, a student at the ORT Ma'alot Yeshiva picked up an unexploded military ordnance and unscrewed it, triggering it to explode. Elazar Yair Wilensky, 14, was killed in the incident, and 24 teachers and students were wounded.
According to the Galei Zahal report, responsibility for clearing munitions is divided among the police, the IDF, and the Defense Ministry's National Mine Action Authority.
Under the law, the Authority is responsible, among other things, for planning and carrying out the clearance of areas containing unexploded ordnance, as well as conducting public awareness campaigns and advising the education system about the dangers.
However, the Defense Ministry maintains that clearing unexploded ordnance originating from enemy fire is not the Authority's responsibility.
"The Authority is not supposed to clear unexploded ordnance resulting from enemy fire. That is the job of the police," the Ministry stated.
By contrast, a document published on the Authority's website concerning a project to clear areas contaminated with unexploded ordnance defines its activities as including the detection and destruction of explosive ammunition that failed to detonate or was abandoned in combat and training areas.
Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy confirmed in a statement to the press that the trip had received approval from all authorized bodies but did not address the question of police responsibility for clearing unexploded ordnance.
It was also reported that the National Mine Action Authority currently has no permanent director and that, in recent months, it has been headed by an acting director, Lt. Col. (res.) Meir Shamir.
As of Tuesday morning, 24 people injured in the tragedy remain hospitalized in northern Israel. Four are in serious condition, seven are moderately injured, and 13 sustained minor injuries.
The IDF believes the explosion was caused by unexploded cluster munition fired by Hezbollah during the war and left in the area.
At the conclusion of his report, journalist Doron Kadosh emphasized that the danger of unexploded ordnance is not limited to trails officially designated as closed. He stressed that dangerous explosive remnants may also be present in areas that have reopened to the public and have even been inspected by security forces.
Kadosh also cited estimates that hundreds or even thousands of unexploded munitions from the war may still be scattered across northern Israel, making increased public awareness and education for students critically important in preventing another tragedy.