Tragedy

Below is the text of a story that not an uncommon one in Israel these days, alas.

I don't believe the Israelis can ever win an "a-symetrical" war. It's too easy to roll a grenade into an open-air restaurant.

Surely, the Israelis were not prepared for this sort of onslaught.

But, apparently, the ratio of Arabs killed versus Israelis killed is enormously in Israel's favor.

I knew and was a friend of the agricultural attache' in the Israeli embassy some years ago. He had been in many of the wars. He had a lovely family; his son aspired to be IDF fighter planey jockey.

He was killed in front of his house by a car driven by an Israeli.

For what little good it does, the Israelis point out that more people die in auto accidents then from terror.

Ben

Major Roi Klein

We are forwarding this translation of a Hebrew e-mail at the
request of friends of the late Major Roi Klein:
On Major Roi Klein (zl)of blessed memory)

The little that we can do for somebody who sacrificed his life in
such a heroic way is to tell his story. It is not clear why the media
ignored this story. Maybe his altruistic behaviour is unpopular or
maybe it does not fit with the image of the suffering, sensitive and
fearful soldier that some Israeli media are trying to nurture.

Last week, Major Roi Klein (z?l), lieutenant commander of Regiment
51 in the Golani Brigade, from Eli was the highest-ranking officer
among his troops at the time in the Lebanese town of Bint AlJubeil. In
the midst of a battle he noticed that Hizballah terrorists have lobbed
a grenade that landed close to his soldiers. Since the detonation of
the grenade was imminent. He leaped and blocked most of the
fragmentation from the grenade with his body, thereby saving his
troops. His soldiers said that he cried "Shma Israel" when he jumped
to block the grenade.

Roi Klein was buried on the day of his 31st? birthday.
He was a gifted Saxophone player and a brilliant academic that
completed his engineering studies with high honours. He traveled with
friends in Africa and had a rolling laughter. All of his friends
describe him as a gentle and relaxed soul. His widow?s wish is that his
children would resemble their father when they grow up.

May his memory be blessed. Instead of lighting a memorial candle
please forward his story onwards. He deserves much more. But that is the little that we can do.