An El Al plane that landed before dawn Friday at Ben Gurion Airport brought with it the coffin of one of the victims of the Johannesburg Consulate tragedy–security officer Giora Raviv. Because he was killed in the line of duty he was given military honors. Mr. Raviv, 26, was one of four people killed when David Protter seized the Israeli Consulate General last Monday. During that time, the gunman also wounded 32 pedestrians.
Shortly before the coffin was brought down, Mr. Raviv’s wife, who is pregnant, and his daughter, arrived at the airport accompanied by Gen, Rehavam Zeevi and Gad Dror, an El Al representative who happened to arrive at the Consulate during the siege and was taken hostage. It was reported that Dror engaged Protter in lengthy conversations and reportedly persuaded the gunman to release the children who were being held hostage and later to release the other hostages.
Funeral services for Mr. Raviv were held Friday at Mount Herzl Cemetery where he was buried. It was reliably learned that Mr. Raviv was killed by a karate chop by Protter, a karate instructor. Afterwards Protter riddled Mr. Raviv’s body with bullets from his machinegun. Meanwhile, Protter, who was arrested and may face a charge of murder, twice tried to commit suicide in his prison cell.
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