Dutchman returns Holocaust medal after family deaths in Gaza

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28814555

Dutchman returns Holocaust medal after family deaths in Gaza

A Dutchman honoured by Israel for hiding a Jewish child during World War Two has handed back his medal after six of his relatives were killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza.

Henk Zanoli, 91, wrote to the Israeli embassy in The Hague to say he could no longer hold the honour.

He said an Israeli F-16 had destroyed his great-niece's home in Gaza, killing all inside, in the recent offensive.

The Israeli embassy has declined to comment on Mr Zanoli's action.

'An insult'
Mr Zanoli and his mother were awarded the "Righteous Among the Nations" honour by Israel in 2011 for helping to shelter a Jewish child from the Nazis in their family home from 1943-45.

The award is accorded to non-Jews who risked their lives to protect and save Jews during the Holocaust.

However, Mr Zanoli said in a letter published by Israel's Haaretz newspaper that "to hold on to the honour granted to me by the State of Israel under these circumstances, would be an insult... to those in my family, four generations on, who lost no less than six of their relatives in Gaza."

(continued)

[mistermack]

....
(continued)

Silly old cunt. It's only bad if it happens to his own family. Fuck him for accepting it in the first place.

[Svartalf]

Great of him to understand at last, a shame it took 6 of his relative to make it so.

Wonder what the eff they were doing in a known war zone though.

[cronus]

Great of him to understand at last, a shame it took 6 of his relative to make it so.

Wonder what the eff they were doing in a known war zone though.

....maybe trying to understand? Humans are dumb.

[mistermack]

Wonder what the eff they were doing in a known war zone though.

His grandniece, a Dutch diplomat, is married to a Palestinian economist, Ismail Ziadah, who lost three brothers, a sister-in-law, a nephew and his father’s first wife in the attack.

[Svartalf]

Thanks... Nice of him to have such and extended sense of family.

[laklak]

We're all just one, big dysfunctional human family.

[cronus]

We're all just one, big dysfunctional human family.

[mistermack]

Thanks... Nice of him to have such and extended sense of family.

My grandnieces are little darlins. They're not distant, they're my niece's kids.

[Svartalf]

I'm about to become an uncle past 45, I doubt I'll know my nephew/niece's kids much unless they are begotten in a real hurry

[Brian Peacock]

I'm about to become an uncle past 45, I doubt I'll know my nephew/niece's kids much unless they are begotten in a real hurry

Well, you know what they say…

Better a Grandpa at thirty be,
Than to become a Father at thirty-three.

[Strontium Dog]

Harbouring people obviously runs in the family: he harboured a Jewish refugee, and his grand-niece's family harboured a member of the Al Qassam Brigades.

[tattuchu]

Great of him to understand at last, a shame it took 6 of his relative to make it so.

Wonder what the eff they were doing in a known war zone though.

Living the dream.

Didn't work out so well.

[JimC]

I'm about to become an uncle past 45, I doubt I'll know my nephew/niece's kids much unless they are begotten in a real hurry

Well, you know what they say…

Better a Grandpa at thirty be,
Than to become a Father at thirty-three.

I was 33 when my youngest was born!

[Brian Peacock]

I'm about to become an uncle past 45, I doubt I'll know my nephew/niece's kids much unless they are begotten in a real hurry

Well, you know what they say…

Better a Grandpa at thirty be,
Than to become a Father at thirty-three.

I was 33 when my youngest was born!

The defence rests.