Last update - 00:00 13/02/2007
MK asks El Al why it refused to fly body of Israeli Arab woman
By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent
Balad Chairman Azmi Bishara on Tuesday asked El AL General Manager Haim Romano to clarify why his company allegedly refused to fly the corpse of an Israeli Muslim woman on one of its flights.
The woman's family asked Bisahra to intervene after their request to transport her body from the U.S., where she died last weekend, was allegedly turned down by company representatives.
The deceased, Acre-born Lamis Jerrar, worked as a lecturer at Howard University in Washington D.C. and held dual Israeli and American citizenship. After she passed away, her family tried to bring her to burial in her hometown.
Jarrar's friends and family hired an undertaker company in Silver Springs with experience in transporting bodies of Jews to Israel. The company claims it purchased a ticket with El Al who asked an Israeli embassy official be present when Jarrar's body would be handed over to the airliner.
According to Bishara, despite the preparations El Al said it would not transport the body, forcing Jarrar's family to make alternative arrangements.
"Needless to say that apart from the issue of racism and lack of irrespect of the dead this incident has caused great distress to family and acquaintances," Bishara wrote.
An El Al spokesperson rejected Bishara's claims and said "a thorough inquiry has revealed that El Al was not approached by the family or anyone on its behalf asking it to fly the body to Israel. El Al completely rejects any hint of discrimination between Jews and non-Jews."
El Al officials said they were "amazed" MK Bishara did not wait to receive their reply on the matter before turning to the press.