The Netherlands – Former Israeli Paratrooper Among 298 Killed In Downed Malaysian Plane

The Netherlands – A former Israeli paratrooper who served in the IDF’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza was among the reported 298 people who were killed on Thursday when a missile took down a Malaysian flight over Ukraine.

RESHET.tv (http://bit.ly/1zQIqk0) reports that 27 year-old Itamar Avnon was returning from a family visit in the Netherlands to Melbourne, Australia where he studies business administration.

Itamar’s father, Dov Avnon, made the announcement of his son’s death via a post on his Facebook page, calling his son a “special guy.”

“Unfortunately, I must share with all my friends on Facebook that my son was on the plane that crashed over Ukraine,” Avnon wrote. “He survived military service as an IDF paratrooper and served in ‘Cast Lead,’ but he fell victim to the plane that crashed over the combat zone in Ukraine.”

Following official announcements and notifications of the families of those killed, Dov Avnon issued another statement describing the moment his daughter—who learned of her brother’s death through a radio report— told him about the tragic death of his son.

“We received the news in a conversation with our daughter Ruth, who was listening to the news while driving. My wife Janet screamed at me, ‘Did you hear what happened?’ And I told her, ‘No way, maybe he was on a different flight.'”

In eulogizing his son, Avnon wrote, “Itamar is a special guy, but good—every child is special. At school he had problems, but Itamar knew how to manage and even finished high school with a diploma.Do not ask how, but get is knowledge.”

Despite growing up in Holland where his family moved when he was very young, Itamar was determined to return to Israel and fulfill his lifelong dream to serve as an IDF paratrooper.

“I’ll never forget the moment he finished his military training and was informed that there was no more room for him in the paratroopers,” Avnon wrote. “He called me up and said, ‘Father, I’m not going as a paratrooper. I don’t want to leave.’ Do not do nonsense, I told him, and then two hours later he received a message saying that extra room had been made for foreign soldiers. He called again and said, ‘Dad, I’ve been wearing the red shoes.'”

Itamar then signed onto a demolition battalion assisting engineers of the Paratroopers Brigade and served for four years alongside his older brother Jonathan, participating in Operation Lead Cast along the Gaza Strip.

After leaving the IDF Itamar went back to Holland where he worked street kiosks selling Dead Sea artifacts.

He also traveled in Belgium and South America before ultimately enrolling in business school in Melbourne.

Just two weeks ago Itamar participated in his brother Jonathan’s wedding.

Itamar’s grandfather, 95 year-old Abraham Avnon from Kiryat Tivon, said, “I’m proud to have a grandson like that while living in the Netherlands but was completely Israeli and served in the army and made me proud.”