An Israeli general in charge of troops along the Lebanese border resigned on Sunday after being accused of failing to prevent the capture of two soldiers that triggered a month-long war with Hezbollah guerrillas.
Brigadier-General Gal Hirsch is the second Israeli general to quit amid widespread public criticism of military failures during the 34-day war that ended with a U.N-brokered ceasefire in mid-August.
"He has submitted his resignation," a military spokeswoman said of Hirsch, who, according to Israeli media reports, stepped down after a military probe accused him of "improper functioning" after the two soldiers were seized on July 12.
Hezbollah abducted the soldiers in a cross-border raid in which eight other troops were killed. Israel responded with heavy aerial bombardments of Lebanon. The war killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 157 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
Hirsch had been head of the Galilee Brigades, which is responsible for patrolling Israel's northern border.
Israeli media reports said the army's probe had accused him of failing to follow safety procedures that may have prevented the capture of soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.
He had failed to drill troops about the possibility of being captured despite repeated warnings that Hezbollah planned to try to seize soldiers, Israel Radio said.
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