After the appalling murders in Toulouse,  the Israeli Embassy in Paris as well as the Israeli Consulate in Marseille, have contacted the bereaved families and learned of their desire to bring their loved ones to Israel for burial.

The government of Israel has therefore decided to transfer the coffins to Israel as soon as possible, with the cooperation and assistance of Israel’s representatives in France and in coordination with the French authorities.

The names of the victims are: Rabbi Jonathan Sandler (30), Gavriel Yissacher Sandler (4), Aryeh Sandler (5), and Miriam Monsonego (7) HY”D.

There is much anger surrounding publicity that Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) is unwilling to pay for the flights to bring the Sandler family to Eretz Yisrael for kvura. People angered over the decision insist they are terror victims and as such, the state has an obligation to see to their funerals. Bituach Leumi indicates that the rav was not an Israeli citizen. Israel Radio reports that a final determination will be made after the kvura in lines with statements from senior Bituach Leumi officials.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman expressed profound shock at the attack, saying that “Only a person possessed with demonic evil could carry out such a terrible murder of small children at a school.”

The senior minister also responded to remarks made by European Union EU Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton, who compared the terror attack in Toulouse to the situation in Gaza, calling the comment “inappropriate”.   Lieberman called on Ashton to retract her statement.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)