In the 1970's, an Israeli army unit was assigned the mission of "pacifying" Gaza. This unit included many determined patriotic young Israelis.

The pacifying of Gaza never worked. But during the 1970's horrible atrocities were committed. During two months, over a hundred Palestinian disappeared. Many bodies were later discovered mutilated in garbage bags or on the sides of roads. Some of those young disappeared Palestinians' fate was never known.

The circumstances of this period of time would not have been known if it was not for an other tragedy in the summer of 1997.

British tourists Jeffrey Hunter and his girlfriend Charlotte Gibb were hitchhiking in Southern Israel. A car stopped and they were delighted to find a driver who was happy to give them a lift. On the way, the driver stopped the car unexpectedly. He asked the two tourists to get out of the car. They did. What happened next was terrfying. The driver drew a handgun, aimed it at Jeffrey's head and shot him. Jeffrey died instantly. Then he turned his attention to Charlotte, he shot her in the face. The driver lift the two bodies on the side of the road and drove off.

When the news of the attack in the desert road broke, British and Israeli media started speculating that Arabs had committed another crime. But Charlotte lift for dead survived and was able to give the Israeli police a good description of the attacker and his car.

It was a matter of time that the attacker was caught. It was revealed that the attacker was actually an Israeli reserve soldier. His name was Daniel Okev, 48 years old. 

During the court hearing, the defence lawyer explained that his client was suffering from a mental illness as a direct result of his service in Gaza. Daniel Okev was an active member in "Gaza death squad". Daniel Okev was delighted and proud with his service. But he had recurring images of what he witnessed and did. He described how he can not shake off the image of a young Palestinian who pleaded his innocence to him. Daniel ordered the Palestinian to dig his grave. Daniel then shot him in the head. He then proceeded to cover the body with sand. Got in his car and drove off with his comrades.

Why Daniel Okev was proud of what he did? He was proud because his superior officer decorated him. General Meir Dagan was directing the operations of this death squad. Daniel and Meir were friends. But when Daniel committed his deranged act against British citizens, Meir did not dare to intervene.

Daniel Okev is serving a prison sentence for the murder of Jeffrey Hunter. But whatever happened to General Meir Dagan. In September, 2002, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon appointed a new head of the Israeli intelligence service Mosad. The new man has the appropriate qualifications and experience to "deal" with the Palestinian Intifada. The name of this man is General Meir Dagan.

The story as reported in BBC. here