IDF probe: Officer shot Canadian-born soldier in W. Bank

The Canadian-born IDF soldier killed during a raid in the West Bank village of Bir Zeit last week was hit by a bullet fired by his company's deputy commander, an IDF probe has revealed.

Central Command GOC Maj. Gen. Gadi Shamni has discharged the offending deputy company commander in the wake of the findings, and has also stricken an additional commanding officer involved in the incident from leading any military operations for the next two years.

A subsequent probe, which included ballistics examinations of the firearms discharged during the incident, ruled that Rechter-Levi was killed by an errant bullet fired by his commanding officer.

The probe ruled that the incident represented an operational and command failure on the part of the commanding officers.

The IDF Spokesperson issued a statement Tuesday saying that "the deputy company commander of the force physically struggled with a Palestinian rioter.

During this struggle, the barrel of the commander's rifle was shifted, apparently resulting in the discharge of the rifle, terminally wounding Staff Sergeant Levi."