Father of British-Israeli sisters killed in West Bank asks ‘how will I explain to their mother what has happened to our two precious gifts?’
The father of two British-Israeli sisters shot dead in the occupied West Bank has broken down at their funeral as he paid tribute to his “beautiful angels” while their grief-stricken siblings sobbed as they clutched their wrapped bodies.
Maia and Rina Dee, reportedly aged 20 and 15 respectively, were killed when their car was attacked by Palestinian assailants near an Israeli settlement on Friday.
Their 45-year-old mother, Lucy Dee, was seriously wounded and is in a coma, while their father, Rabbi Leo Dee, witnessed the attack from a separate vehicle following behind and was unharmed.
(L-R) Maia and Rina Dee were killed in a shooting in the West Bank
Their siblings sobbed during the funeral. Pic: AP
Rabbi Dee, who has three other children, spoke of his hopes that his wife would come out of her coma and asked: “How will I explain to Lucy what has happened to our two precious gifts?”
In tribute to “beautiful and perfect” Maia at a cemetery in the Jewish settlement of Kfar Etzion in the West Bank, the rabbi said: “You were always an angel and now you will always be our guardian angel.”
He also said: “You wanted to sign up for another year of national service, where you could really make a difference. But mummy and I wanted you to start your studies and maybe meet a special boy.
“But you insisted that girls like you always do two years of volunteering so we waited to see what and where this would be.”
Then turning to his “beautiful and darling” Rina, he said: “You were such a great student. Such a great friend.”
“You dreamt of travelling the world, now you are travelling to heaven.”
Maia and Rina Dee’s siblings clutched their bodies at the funeral
At the al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, hundreds of Palestinians prayed on Sunday.
Hundreds of Jewish people also visited the holy site under heavy police guard as Palestinians protested, directing whistles and religious chants at them. But the episode generally passed off without incident.
The compound – sacred to both Muslims and Jews – has been at the centre of a security crisis which erupted last Wednesday when Israeli police raided the mosque to clear what they said were youths barricaded inside armed with rocks and fireworks.
Ron Dermer, who is Israel’s strategic affairs minister, has defended the police’s actions, telling Sky News: “The people who had barricaded themselves into the al Aqsa mosque were going to attack those people outside and they were violent.
“The police basically were forced to go in to try to remove them to allow the Muslims who were praying in the morning to go into the mosque.”
Meanwhile, a north London rabbi says his community is feeling a “sense of pain and grief” after the West Bank killings.
Rabbi Dee was the senior rabbi at Radlett United Synagogue in Hertfordshire from 2011-2014 and assistant rabbi in Hendon, north London, from 2008-2011.
Mordechai Ginsbury, senior rabbi at Hendon United Synagogue, who has kept in contact with the family since they moved back to Israel in 2014, said he was feeling “absolute devastation, pain, grief and shock” following the tragedy.
He said the Dees are the “nicest, loveliest people” and he was “so, so sorry”.
Mordechai Ginsbury, senior rabbi at Hendon United Synagogue
Rabbi Ginsbury added: “To think that in a few moments, so senselessly and painfully, this has happened, such a tragic loss of life, of goodness, is just devastating.”
Recalling the time they spent in the UK, Rabbi Ginsbury said: “They used to come to us at home. They were just a delightful family, full of commitment, vigour, passion, energy, and they did wonderful things for us in the community.”
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He said he spoke to Rabbi Dee last night and “one of the things that is sustaining him is the blanket of warmth and love which is enveloping them within Israel and around the world”.
Rabbi Ginsbury said he was planning to hold a service of psalms and prayers on Sunday evening for people who “want to express their sense of pain, grief and solidarity with the Dees and with all the good and positive values that we, as Jewish people, stand for across the world and in Israel”.
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Israel launches strikes on Syria
The shooting near the Hamra settlement – about 30 miles north of Jerusalem – came after Israel launched retaliatory air strikes at Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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