Update: According to the latest report, State of [Evicted] Gush Katif, Northern Gaza and Northern Shomron Communities Report #11, Minister of Science and Technology Matan Vilnai was contacted and the matter of the 30,000 NIS burial of Hezi Chazani was handled by Vilnai’s office. “Vilnai’s staff is eager to let the public know that if, G-d forbid, another evacuee dies, his family will not have to pay to have their loved one buried.”
One small little problem, the matter has not been handled as yet and if it is not handled by 25 October, there will be no tombstone on the grave. My sources express grave doubt that the Chazani family will ever see these funds from the government, and just as none but a very few number of evictees have seen any compensation from the government, the overwhelming majority of evictees face court fights for years in efforts to recover that which is due them, that which has been stolen from them.
Here is the most recent email received 19 October on the matter;
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 03:45:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [bsaje] Fw: 30,000 shekel to bury recently homeless man
X-Antivirus: AVG for E-mail 7.0.344 [267.12.2]
I just got off the phone with the Chevra Kadisha of Rishon Ltzion and they are pretty adamant that the government needs to pay this bill, not them. So I said that I agreed, but let’s assume that the government WON’T pay it, what then? He said that WE (citizens) need to pressure the government to pay. He said that he doesn’t think it’s their job to pressure the government.
I said, OK, it’s not your job, but let’s just assume that you won’t see any help from the government, can’t you waive your fee in this case, I mean, this poor family has suffered enough and you know that!! So he said that they were nice enough to bury him because they, in other cases, would have refused burial.
The bottom line is, unless they start receiving tens of phone calls from people making them feel real guilty about this particular case, I don’t think they are going to change their minds.
Our Yom Kippur machzors aren’t even put away yet and this is the answer I get from them……. Chaval.
On 20 October, 2005, a further update on the funeral costs; Rishon Lezion Burial Society Explains NIS 30,000 Cost.