Golani 51.

This is coolbert:

Here is an aspect of the recent combat in Gaza that was reported upon, but not widely disseminated. Misinterpreted? You will have to judge! Thanks to the Jerusalem Post.

"Golani 51 commander: Death before capture"

"In a tape recording of a briefing the commander of Battalion 51 gave his soldiers before entering Gaza during Operation Cast Lead the senior officer was heard saying: 'Hamas's strategic weapon is to kidnap a soldier and I don't have to tell you but no soldier from Battalion 51 gets kidnapped at any price and under any situation even if it means that he has to blow up his grenade together with those who are trying to kidnap him.'"

"it was clear that the officer did not mean that soldiers should commit suicide but that he was trying to motivate them"

"The commander of Battalion 51, who cannot be identified due to IDF restrictions on officers who participated in the operation, is a respected officer who served in several command posts in Golani's elite Egoz Unit."

NO, that commander IS TELLING HIS TROOPS TO AVOID CAPTURE AT ALL COSTS - - EVEN IF IT MEANS DYING IN THE PROCESS!! Not necessarily suicide, but an admonition to GO DOWN FIGHTING - - NO MATTER WHAT!!

This was the standard procedure for American troops in Vietnam to some degree. Wounded American soldiers, laying on the battlefield and unable to protect themselves or move, would lay still with a hand grenade under them. If the enemy approached to execute you or worse, the idea was throw the grenade at them at the last possible moment.

Here with the account of Private Jack Smith, wounded and laying helpless on the ground - - Ia Drang valley, 1965.

"I lay there shivering. At night in the highlands the temperature goes down to 50 or so. About midnight I heard the grass swishing. It was men, and a lot of them too. I took my hand grenade and straightened out the pin. I thought to myself that now at last they were going to come and kill all the wounded that were left. I was sure I was going to die and I really did not care anymore. I did not want them to take me alive"

The Israeli has as very grim and sad history with prisoner exchanges with the Palestinians, Hezbollah, other Arab military forces. One or two men, alive, or EVEN BODIES OF DEAD ISRAELI TROOPS, exchanged for hundreds of prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

ONLY TODAY, the Israeli PM Olmert broke off talks with Hamas regarding such a prisoner exchange.

The Golani is one of the integral active duty brigades of the Israeli Army. The Israeli uses as brigade type structure as the basis for combat organization. Brigades during wartime are task tailored organized into divisional sized units called ugdahs.

Within the Golani is an elite unit called Battalion 51? Anyone know anything about them? They were tasked with ferreting out Hamas fighters in tunnel complexes? So it seems? Troops belonging to Battalion 51 were in great danger of capture and their commander was advising them how to comport themselves when in close quarters combat with Hamas?

coolbert.