Golani 51.

This is coolbert:

With regard to the expected Israel ground assault into Gaza, here an edited version of a blog entry as first posted in 2009. Even more germane and pertinent today.

"Golani 51 commander: Death before capture"

Story The Jerusalem Post from 2009.

"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"

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, Ia Drang valley Vietnam 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 a very grim and sad history with prisoner exchanges vis-a-vis the Palestinians, Hezbollah, other Arab military forces. One or two men, alive or even dead bodies, exchanged for hundreds of prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

coolbert.