The inspection board, established half a year ago to investigate the cause of the November 1982 explosion at the Israeli military headquarters in the city of Tyre in Lebanon, has recommended the establishment of an official joint IDF, Shin Bet, and police inquiry board.
The inquiry board was presented with new evidence that was not presented to the original inspection board and the Military Prosecutor at the time, which strengthens the possibility that the building collapsed due to a terror attack.
The inquiry board, which will be appointed by IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar, and Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai and will be led by Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amit Abulafia, will inspect the findings of the inspection board and additional material to come to a final position on the matter.
The inspection board was charged with inspecting if there was room to suggest forming an IDF inquiry board. The team, which consisted of relevant authorities from the IDF, Shin Bet, and Police, worked for two months, and after a concerted effort, it presented its findings to the Chief of Staff.
As mentioned, the team recommended the establishment of an official joint IDF, Shin Bet, and Police inquiry board.
During the incident, dubbed “The Tyre Disaster,” the Israeli Headquarters in Tyre, Lebanon, collapsed, killing 76 members of Israeli security forces, including IDF soldiers, Border Police officers, Shin Bet members, and some 15 locals who were detained in the building, and injuring many more. Until this day, the Israeli government officially attributes the collapse to a gas explosion.
The bereaved families of the disaster’s victims and those who were injured and maimed in the incident were updated on the formation of the inquiry board.