Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener Board of Inquiry Released

[Nfld Sapper]

Statement

Statement by Lieutenant-General Michel Gauthier, Commander Canadian Expeditionary Force Command, convening authority for the Board of Inquiry into the death of Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener
CEFCOM / COMFEC S-07.002 - February 1, 2008

OTTAWA - Lieutenant-General Michel Gauthier, Commander Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM) issued the following statement upon the release of the Board of Inquiry (BOI) findings on the death of Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener:

"I have carefully reviewed the Board's investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener, who was serving as a United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) at Patrol Base Khiam in South Lebanon, and found it to be complete and well prepared. I fully support the findings and recommendations of the Board. The report clearly documents the sequence of events and the situational context in which this unfortunate event occurred.

On 25 July 2006, Major Hess-Von Kruedener was on duty at Patrol Base Khiam where he was subjected to three waves of bombardment throughout the course of the day.  Reports of these attacks were passed to the Israeli Defence Forces by the UN, on the established liaison network, however the attacks did not cease.  With the situation showing no signs of improvement, urgent consultations between the Chief of Staff of the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) and the Chief of the Observer Group Lebanon (OGL) led to a decision to evacuate the Patrol Base Khiam at 7 a.m. the next day. Plans were finalized  and details of the evacuation were transmitted to the Patrol Base at 7:25 p.m., but at  7:30 p.m., Patrol Base Khiam failed to respond to a scheduled radio check. A Recovery Team was dispatched, arriving at Patrol Base Khiam at 9:55 p.m. to find the the main building had been destroyed, entombing the remains of Major Hess-Von Kruedener and three other UNMOs. 

Taking into consideration all factors present at the time of the incident and the actions of all individuals, I fully support the Board's conclusion that no blame can be assigned to any one individual. The Israeli Defence Force has taken full responsibility for the operational and tactical errors which led to the bombing of PB Khiam, although without naming any individual as being personally culpable.  This tragic accident was immediately preceded by urgent discussions between Canadian and UN leadership at all levels resulting in the development of an evacuation plan, and it is very unfortunate that this incident happened prior to the enactment of that plan. 

The Board made several insightful recommendations for improvements in important aspects of Canadian and UN command and control procedures, and for the improvement in communications equipment provided to Canadian Observers. These recommendations have all been endorsed at my level and by the CDS, and their implementation will reduce the likelihood of a future reoccurrence of such an incident. Even with these improvements, however, the complexity and demands of UN missions are such that the risk cannot be reduced to zero.

I also acknowledge that the review process in this case has taken a significant period of time.  Although Boards of Inquiry are by nature very complex, they are even more so when there is an international aspect to the incident.  The significant period of time between the completion of the BOI and its release allows for diligent legal and other review requirements. 

Maj Hess-Von Kruedener carried out his duties with courage and honour, and he died in the service of Canada and the noble pursuit of a better and more peaceful world.  His exemplary service has been recognized in the posthumous award of the Meritorious Service Cross. He will not be forgotten.

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Notes to Editors and News Directors:

Appropriate portions of the BOI final report have been severed out in accordance with Access to Information regulations to protect the operational security of the IDF and the UN. However the essence of the report remains and tells the story of what happened that night.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

News Release

Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener Board of Inquiry Released
CEFCOM/COMFEC NR–07.046 - February 1, 2008

OTTAWA - Lieutenant-General Michel Gauthier, Commander Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM), released today the findings from the Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener Board of Inquiry (BOI) that investigated the bombing of the UN Patrol Base Khiam in Southern Lebanon, July 25, 2006.

Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener was serving as a United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) stationed at the UN Patrol Base in Khiam South Lebanon.  On the evening of July 25th 2006, at approximately 7:30 p.m., he and three other UN Military Observers were killed when their patrol base was struck by an Israeli bomb.

“This was a tragic accident that demonstrates the very real dangers inherent in the work that members of the Canadian Forces are asked to do on a daily basis,” said General Rick Hillier, Chief of the Defence Staff. “The Board’s findings and recommendations will improve the safety of the young men and women who proudly wear our uniform. Major Hess-Von Kruedener did not die in vain and we shall never forget his ultimate contribution in the pursuit of peace.”

Major Hess-Von Kruedener along with the other Military Observers, were working in support to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO).  Canada’s contribution to UNTSO is called Operation JADE.

At the time of the incident Israel and Hezbollah were involved in an armed conflict, which began on 12 July 2006 with the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers and quickly expanded into a large-scale incursion into southern Lebanon by the Israeli Defence Forces.  The UN observers, interposed between the two belligerent forces, were subsequently exposed to artillery and aerial attacks.  As the shelling and bombing in the vicinity of Patrol Base Khiam increased in frequency and accuracy, the decision was made to evacuate, but the fatal bomb was dropped before the four observers could be withdrawn.

A BOI is an administrative inquiry normally convened to examine and report on complex or significant events. It serves to determine what occurred, how and why it occurred and proposes measures that might prevent the possibility of recurrence. It is not a criminal investigation.

A summary of the Maj Hess-Von Kruedener BOI findings and a statement from Lieutenant-General Gauthier, Commander CEFCOM, the convening authority for the BOI, are available at :
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/focus/Hess-Von-Kruedener/index_e.asp

-30-

Notes to Editors and News Directors:

Appropriate portions of the BOI final report have been severed out in accordance with Access to Information regulations to protect the operational security of the IDF and the UN. However the essence of the report remains and tells the story of what happened that night.

 

[Kat Stevens]

No individual blame!?  Howzabout the guy who said into the radio "bomb the shit out of that UN OP over there" for one?

 

[Armymedic]

The Israeli Defence Force has taken full responsibility for the operational and tactical errors which led to the bombing of PB Khiam, although without naming any individual as being personally culpable.

That is exactly what the IDF should say. "We screwed up, we take responsibility"

 

[tomahawk6]

To be fair and balanced Hizbollah had setup positions in close proximity to the UN position - a violation of the law of war.

 

[stegner]

Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener had written on the CTV website about the conflict before his death.  The link is still up and you all may read it here. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060718/mideast_lebanon_UN_060716/20060718/

He would note the following:

What I can tell you is this: we have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both artillery and aerial bombing. The closest artillery has landed within 2 metres of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 metres from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but has rather been due to tactical necessity.

 

This link is well worth reading http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=37278180-a261-421d-84a9-7f94d5fc6d50

Perhaps a future policy would be to evacuate Canadian UN observers once hostilities have broken out as once this occurs their mission is largely obsolete as there is no peace to observe. 

In closing, let us all remember an outstanding CF Officer and Canadian.

 

[54/102 CEF]

Way back when - the Israeli anti terror teams took out another PPCLI Maj named Flint - late 50s I believe - met his daughter in the 80s - she was still pi$$ed at them.

 

[stegner]

The daughter should perhaps direct some of her anger to the Kingdom of Jordan, instead of Israel.  There is a link to the Flint incident here:

http://www.cmhg.gc.ca/cmh/en/page_7... mutual cease-fire agreement.[/b]"[/quote]

 

[54/102 CEF]

Great update - thanks - reinforces that UN duty is hazardous.

 

[Bo]

To be fair and balanced Hizbollah had setup positions in close proximity to the UN position - a violation of the law of war.

A Canadian Forces member was killed by an IDF aerial strike after REPEATED calls from his team to stop bombing near their location. Someone within the IDF is responsible for what happened. Also, can you provide a source that details Hizbollah positioning themselves near the UN outpost?

And if you're going to be "fair and balanced" at least mentions Israel's violation of the law of war.

"The pattern, scope and scale of the attacks makes Israel's claim that this was 'collateral damage', simply not credible," said Kate Gilmore, Executive Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty International.


The document details what it describes as "massive destruction by Israeli forces of whole civilian neighbourhoods and villages", together with attacks on bridges "in areas of no apparent strategic importance", on its list of supporting evidence.

It also says Israel targeted supermarkets, water pumping stations and water treatment plants, which may have broken a prohibition in humanitarian law against targeting objects crucial to civilian survival.

The report lists Israeli statements - such as comments made by Israeli Chief of Staff Lt Gen Dan Halutz that "nothing is safe [in Lebanon], as simple as that" - to support its claims.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5276626.stm

 

[stegner]

Bo,

please refer to my first post and the links as they detail what you seek.  Pay attention to what the late Major and General Mackenzie say in those links. 
 

 

[armyvern]

A Canadian Forces member was killed by an IDF aerial strike after REPEATED calls from his team to stop bombing near their location. Someone within the IDF is responsible for what happened. Also, can you provide a source that details Hizbollah positioning themselves near the UN outpost?

Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener himself (as posted shortly before your post by stenger):
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060718/mideast_lebanon_UN_060716/20060718/

What I can tell you is this: we have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both artillery and aerial bombing. The closest artillery has landed within 2 metres of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 metres from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but has rather been due to tactical necessity.

And if you're going to be "fair and balanced" at least mentions Israel's violation of the law of war.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5276626.stm

To be fair and balanced one would recognize that your above link refers to something that has zero bearing on the outpost incident. It is in reference to civilian infrastructure in Lebanese towns. Quite seperate both physically, miltarisitcly and ideally from a UN OP post on the border between two nations who are virtually in a perpetual state of war.

And, one would note that this would be the same Amnesty International which has been accusing Canadian Soldiers of War Crimes and complicity in our current mission. Lest 'ye believe that there are no bias' held amongst their ranks.
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=3f76b14b-2bf7-47f8-89a2-f1cf4575c1df&k=20171&p=1
http://constitutionalmoments.blogspot.com/2007/09/investigation-into-war-crimes.html
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/apr2007/afgh-a27.shtml

 

[Bartok5]

I was a Pall-Bearer at Paeta's funeral two summers ago.  He and I did BOTC followed by French language training together in 1987.  We then went on to Infantry Phase Training, where we were in the same platoon throughout.  Afterwards, we served together as subalterns in 2 PPCLI for three years.  We served together again in 3 PPCLI in 1999/2000, where Paeta proved himself to be a consumate professional in assisting me with live-fire safety for a series of 2VP live-fire battle-runs in Shilo. 

All of the above to say that I knew "Wolf" about as well as any man could be known.  I had the pleasure (and occasional displeasure) and the ultimate honour of directly working with him at the best and worst of our shared times.  I miss him, and always will.  He was a peer of mine who died too soon.

Paeta's funeral and subsequent internment were fitting warrior's ceremonies.  Those he knew well carried him, including the CO of 3VP, DCO of 3VP, U.S. friends from the SF and SEAL communities, and a MWO from his former Res F unit the E & K Scots.   We were quite the mixed bag - just like Paeta would have wanted it.

Knowing him as I did?  I don't think that my friend Paeta would affix any blame for what happened to him.  He was in the middle of a war, and therefore living life to its fullest in his chosen element.   Stuff happens when you voluntarily place yourself between warring factions.  We did it together in Cyprus, and we did it again in Bosnia.  It is what it is.  Paeta fell as a warrior doing what he loved to do, and nothing more need be said.

Placing blame after the fact is pointless.  What happened, happened.  My friend died in the service of Canada.  That's all I need to know.

Paeta, "Have a good one - Airborne!"

 

[daftandbarmy]

+1 ATW

 

[Roy Harding]

I was a Pall-Bearer at Paeta's funeral two summers ago.  He and I did BOTC followed by French language training together in 1987.  We then went on to Infantry Phase Training, where we were in the same platoon throughout.  Afterwards, we served together as subalterns in 2 PPCLI for three years.  We served together again in 3 PPCLI in 1999/2000, where Paeta proved himself to be a consumate professional in assisting me with live-fire safety for a series of 2VP live-fire battle-runs in Shilo. 

All of the above to say that I knew "Wolf" about as well as any man could be known.  I had the pleasure (and occasional displeasure) and the ultimate honour of directly working with him at the best and worst of our shared times.  I miss him, and always will.  He was a peer of mine who died too soon.

Paeta's funeral and subsequent internment were fitting warrior's ceremonies.  Those he knew well carried him, including the CO of 3VP, DCO of 3VP, U.S. friends from the SF and SEAL communities, and a MWO from his former Res F unit the E & K Scots.  We were quite the mixed bag - just like Paeta would have wanted it.

Knowing him as I did?  I don't think that my friend Paeta would affix any blame for what happened to him.  He was in the middle of a war, and therefore living life to its fullest in his chosen element.  Stuff happens when you voluntarily place yourself between warring factions.  We did it together in Cyprus, and we did it again in Bosnia.  It is what it is.  Paeta fell as a warrior doing what he loved to do, and nothing more need be said.

Placing blame after the fact is pointless.  What happened, happened.  My friend died in the service of Canada.  That's all I need to know.

Paeta, "Have a good one - Airborne!"

You are an exquisitely eloquent son of a bitch.  I'll give you that.

I only knew your friend peripherally, and I was proud to serve with him - you make me wish I'd known him better.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Also, can you provide a source that details Hizbollah positioning themselves near the UN outpost?

In addition to what others have shared to this point, here's some more evidence that Hezbollah is not uniformly viewed by human rights groups as being of sterling character:

5 Oct 05:  "We also documented the fact that Hezbollah launched thousands of rockets on densely populated cities, towns and villages in Northern Israel, using a variety of unguided rockets, often referred to as “Katyushas,” which cannot be targeted at military objects with any degree of precision because of their limited technology. When firing these rockets into civilian areas, Hezbollah knew that the likelihood of hitting a military target was slim to none, while the likely result would be the death and injury of civilians."

18 Jul 06 - Hezbollah Rocket Attacks on Haifa Designed to Kill Civilians:  Anti-personnel Ball Bearings Meant to Harm “Soft” Targets

5 Aug 06 - Israel/Lebanon: Hezbollah Must End Attacks on Civilians - Rocket Attacks on Civilians in Israel Are War Crimes

If you're going to believe and cite groups like Human Rights Watch when it comes to their scrutiny of the Israelis, you  have to also believe them in their scrutiny of Hezbollah, right?

 

[mashup]

Anyone who views Hezbollah as anything but ruthless is being taken for a ride.  They intentionally proked Israel in order to draw out a disproportionate response and win a propaganda victory -- that is to say, Hezbollah was counting on Israel killing scores of Lebanese citizens, and the more, the better.  Their tactics of siting Katayushas near densely populated apartment blocks and UN observation posts makes sense if you understand what their intentions were.  Israel's response was overly aggressive and played into their hands -- striking through the population to get to those responsible doesn't discourage the enemy, it's what Hezbollah intended.  Any war where the two sides are functionally working together to kill civilians is sick, and the way Nasrallah was lionized by the Lebanese after the war for his 'defense' against Israel is depressing.  Just more manipulation.

Getting caught between two sides like that is dicey as hell and you'd have to be crazy to want to do it -- unless, of course, you happen to be Lebanese or Israeli and don't have a choice.  Putting your life at risk to try and help protect ordinary people trapped in the middle goes beyond brave. 

People ought to focus on that and learn something rather than try to utilize his death to advance their political beliefs.

 

[sgf]

Interesting article from the widow of Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/02/06/ot-von-kruedener-080206.html

A United Nations military observer sent e-mails home to Canada reporting that Israel was bombing schools and waging "a campaign of terror against the Lebanese people" shortly before he was killed by an Israeli bomb in Lebanon, said his widow.

Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener of Kingston, Ont., a member of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, was one of four UN military observers who died when the Israeli Defence Forces bombed a marked United Nations post on July 25, 2006.

Cynthia Hess-von Kruedener said she believes her husband, Paeta, and three other UN observers were specifically targeted when their post was bombed by Israel.
(Submitted by Cynthia Hess-von Kruedener) Cynthia Hess-von Kruedener said her husband's mission was to report on the hostilities in the area and she believes that is why Israeli forces attacked the Israeli United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) post, despite Israel's claims that the bombing was accidental.

She is not too thrilled with Harper and his govt either

Hess-von Kruedener said she is not satisfied with the response of the Canadian government, which she alleges did not protest Israel's refusal to co-operate in the probe.

"Well you expect your government to step in and do the right thing, but that doesn't seem to be the case," she said. "So we are just … We don't know where to turn. We're just beside ourselves I guess."

PM wants to get to the bottom of things
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said shortly after the attack that he did not believe Israel deliberately targeted the UN post, but would ask Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "for his full co-operation in getting to the bottom of this."

Israel said the attack was an accident, but took responsibility for errors that reportedly led to the bombing.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Hess-von Kruedener called on the House of Commons to debate the findings of the board of inquiry report through the foreign minister, and take the issue to the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.

She also asked the public to get involved by writing their MPs.

"I know that Paeta would also want the international community to speak up," she said. "I'm only one voice … I definitely need other people to speak out and say something needs to happen."

 

[The Bread Guy]

According to this excerpt from the public portion of the BOI, the IDF wasn't the ONLY organization not co-operating to the fullest possible extent (cut/paste from report shown below)....

"Regarding the UN and IDF, the Board's requests for access were denied.  In the case of the IDF, a non-paper summarizing the results of their internal investigation was provided to Canada, however, this report lacked sufficient detail to explore certain issues to their fullest extent.  Regarding the Board's request for access to UN personnel and documentation it too was denied.  The Board however benefited from receiving a copy of the UN BOI report, and in the UN's terms, this report was provided under "exceptional circumstances". "

Also, what the heck is a "non-paper"?  Not meaning to be a smart ass, really, but as a government bureaucrat who's job it is to push a certain amount of paper, I haven't heard this term before.

 

[stegner]

A non-paper to my understanding is an oral briefing.  An IDF officer probably gave a presentation to some CF counterparts explaining the IDF version of the event-but would not provide a written account for a whole host of reasons.