African Hebrew family demands Israeli army explain soldier’s death

The 19-year-old great-great-grand-niece of Harriet Tubman was the first African-American to die while serving in the Israeli army

Altar to Toveet Radcliffe in the her family home in Dimona, Israel. (Photo credit: David Sheen)

by David Sheen

The family of Toveet Radcliffe says it is unsatisfied with the outcome of an Israeli army investigation into the young soldier’s death, and will appeal the Military Advocate General’s decision to close the inquiry into her untimely demise. Toveet’s family members, especially her mother Khydijah, remain unconvinced by the IDF’s claims regarding the circumstances and cause of her death.

Last week, nearly a full year after Toveet’s passing, the Israeli Air Force submitted its official report to the Radcliffe family, which concluded that no other person had been involved in the nineteen-year-old’s death. “Examination of the aggregate of evidence leads to the conclusion that there is no documented proof of the involvement of others in the death of the Deceased,” the IDF report stated. In ruling out murder or other foul play, the report suggested Toveet committed suicide.