Thursday, July 27, 2006

Australian Casualty


The IDF has released the names of the nine soldiers who were killed in the battles in or near the village of Bint Jbiel on Wednesday. Among them was Corporal Asaf Namar, 27, of Kiryat Yam who, Arutz Sheva reports, came from Australia.

I just heard news reports that Asaf was born in Israel and came to Sydney with his mother when he was young boy. He returned to Israel 2 years ago to do his National Service. Our thoughts go out to his family and the familes of all others killed and injured in this conflict.


In related news Australian Foreign Minister, Brendan Nelson, has said that 12 of the Australian soldiers who went to Lebanon would be withdrawn from Southern Lebanon back to Beirut. See the report in the Age here.
According to Arutz Sheva Nelson said: "There is quite a degree of risk to everybody in the south of Lebanon, not withstanding the efforts of the Israelis to target their attacks on Hizbullah sites. It is very important that Australians appreciate no matter how affronted we are by what Israel is doing, they are dealing with Hizbullah and Hamas who are committed to the abolition of Israel as a state."


Thanks to YMR.