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.

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.”

“The great-great grandchildren of my mother have lost their grandmother, three uncles, an aunt and a cousin at the hands of the Israeli military,” he wrote, referring to an air strike by the Israeli military on 20 July.

His great-niece is a Dutch diplomat who is married to Palestinian economist Ismail Ziadah, who was born in a refugee camp in central Gaza.

Mr Ziadah’s mother, three brothers, a sister-in-law and nine-year-old nephew were all killed after their family home was hit by Israeli aircraft.

Mr Zanoli, a retired lawyer, offered sharp criticism of Israel’s Operation Protective Edge offensive, warning that such actions could lead to possible convictions of “war crimes and crimes against humanity”.   »»» BBC News – Dutchman returns Holocaust medal after family deaths in Gaza.

Hamas is wrong to send rockets into Israel.
Israel is wrong to counterattack by its murderous actions in Gaza.

What is going on now is, ON BOTH SIDES, an abomination before the face of God.

Both the Talmud and the Qur’an tell us that to save ONE life is to save all humanity and to destroy ONE life is to destroy all humanity.

The Law of Moses says that retaliation is allowed but must be PROPORTIONATE to the original harm: eye for eye, wound for wound, life for life.

In the present situation, the deaths and injuries to INNOCENT people in Gaza have been far greater by several orders of magnitude than the deaths and injuries caused by Hamas. The inablility (or lack of desire ?) on the part of Israel to avoid “collateral damage” is increasing the support for Hamas. No lasting good can come of the actions now undertaken by both sides.

Sometimes I wonder if the vision of Isaiah is an omen for the modern State of Israel. According to his vision in the Torah, Zion will suffer at God’s hand for its evil actions and be purified from its lack of mercy and righteousness.

Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.

Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah, I will ease Me of Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine enemies;

And I will turn My hand upon thee, and purge away thy dross as with lye, and will take away all thine alloy;

And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.

Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness.

But the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

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