The Government of Bulgaria was sharply criticized today during unveiling ceremonies for a gravestone for the 58 E1 A1 passengers killed when the aircraft was shot down over Bulgaria two years ago by Bulgarian fighter planes.
Interior Minister Bar Yehuda, representing the Israel Government, said it was “painful” that a government which admitted responsibility for the destruction of the plane had still not paid compensation to the families of the victims. While compensation cannot revive the dead, he said, it may help those who depended on the victims.
The gravestone is a marble square with all names of the victims inscribed on it. Hundreds of relatives, many of whom made special trips to Israel for the ceremony, took part. The rites were conducted jointly by Chief Rabbi Jacob Toledano of Tel Aviv and an Anglican priest and a Catholic Abbe. The relatives jointly recited Kaddish.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
