The images are taken from the ridge above and to the left of the road. Our battalion was lined up in a convoy, one tank after the other. In each picture you can see red circles that represent three tanks from our convoy - the center circle represents the tank that I was in. The tank commander and I (the loader) are positioned standing in the turret, so I was able to see what was going on outside.
The first of the three tanks (the leftmost circle) was positioned in front of a house (the blue rectangle) on the side of the road.
After standing in place for what seemed an eternity, the command was given to start moving.
The first tank moved forward.
The second tank - the one I was in - was now positioned in front of the house where the first tank had stood previously.
Suddenly a bright line of white-yellow light zipped in from the left.
I watched in horror as the tank in front of us exploded, sending sparks and fire soaring to the air.
Seconds later I heard another explosion from behind.
The tank behind us exploded.
My tank was hidden behind the house where the first tank had stood seconds before.
For over 30 years I have been constantly going back to those moment, thinking what would have happened if the order to move forward had not been given at the moment. The first tank would have been hidden by the house, and it was clear to me that our tank, as well as the one behind us, would have been fired upon. I would not be here to tell my story.
After a few seconds of shock the entire line of tanks began firing to the left, towards the area where we had been fired upon.
After a few seconds I could hear someone screaming over the radio -
After a few seconds of shock the entire line of tanks began firing to the left, towards the area where we had been fired upon.
After a few seconds I could hear someone screaming over the radio -
STOP SHOOTING!!! DO NOT FIRE TO THE LEFT!!! HOLD YOUR FIRE!!!
I recognized the battalion commander's voice. I could hear him, I could understand the words, and yet I could not comprehend - why would he say that ? We had been fired upon, those were obviously enemy forces, so why did he...
And then, I realized - he knew they were Israeli forces.
That moment encapsulates one of the horrors of war, how incomprehensible experiences evolve into trauma. Seeing those tanks explode was terrifying enough, but not an entirely unexpected scenario in the context of war. I was able to comprehend what I had seen. But the idea that we had been fired upon by another one of "our" units was incomprehensible, it made no sense. Were they not following the order to refrain from firing upon enemy forces, unless they were being fired upon ? We didn't fire at anyone, so why did they fire upon us ?
Later Someone said it wasn't intentional, that someone in that unit fired by accident. Perhaps.
It is almost 40 years later, and I still do not understand. I don't think I ever will.