GONE TOO SOON
Heartbroken dad of sisters shot dead in terror attack breaks down in tears as he pays tribute to his ‘beautiful angels’
THE GRIEVING father of the two British sisters who were shot and killed in the West Bank has made a teary tribute to his slain children.
Rabbi Leo Dee made an emotional speech at his daughters joint funerals, held in the Israeli settlement of Kfar Etzion.
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The father sobbed as he spoke about his two daughters, Maia, 20, and Rina, 15.
He cried: "Maia and Rina, you are two flames who have not gone out. You will bring more light to the world.
"You have inspired and loved us, in return we will love you forever."
Rabbi Leo remembered his younger daughter Rina as a great friend and student, who dreamt of traveling the world.
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He continued: "Now you are travelling to heaven.";
Recalling his older daughter Maia, he said: "You will always be an angel and you will always be our guardian angel."
Rabbi Dee's wife Lucy remains in hospital after receiving surgery to remove bullets from her neck and spine.
He said: "How will I explain to Lucy what has happened to our two precious gifts?";
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The two sisters and their mother were travelling to the Sea of Galilee for a holiday when their car was riddled with 22 Kalashnikov bullets.
Police later reported the vehicle in which the British family was travelling had been sprayed with assault rifle bullets, leaving blood spattered on the windscreen.
Rabbi Dee- who attended university in the UK - had been in a separate car travelling ahead of his family but realised there had been an altercation behind him.
He drove back to the scene fearing his family had been involved in a traffic accident then realised the car had come under fire.
It is understood the family moved from London to Israel in 2005.
They settled in Efrat, near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, but retained their strong connection to Britain.
The attack was believed to be a revenge strike launched as tensions spiralled following police raids on the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Gunmen are believed to have targeted the car simply because it bore Israeli registration plates.
No group has claimed responsibility so far, but a Hamas spokesman hailed the attack as "retaliation for the crimes committed by Israel”.
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The Israel Defence Force said the shooting was a terror attack and said surveillance camera footage showed the terrorists driving up to the victims’ car.
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