Ha'aretz, Friday, January 31, 2003 The family of Glasgow teenager Yoni Jesner, who was killed in a Tel Aviv suicide bomb, is to leave Britain and move to Israel because they feel they have "paid in blood" for the privilege of having a homeland, the young man's older brother Ari Jesner told Anglo File. Yoni Jesner's death had "reinforced" his family's ties to Israel, compelling them to leave Britain and build a new home here as they now feel they are a "part of Israel," his brother said. Yoni died four months ago after suffering head injuries in a bus explosion on Allenby St. in Tel Aviv. . . . For Gladstone [Yoni's step-brother], what confirmed his conviction to start a new life in Israel was the British media's coverage of Yoni's death. "They are always looking to say critical things back in Britain. Of course they said it was a Briton who had been killed, but then immediately the focus was on what Israel would do to retaliate," he says. "It was a perfect opportunity to cover it differently, to present it as a human story, and it was an opportunity that was missed." The reaction in Israel could not have provided a more stark comparison for Gladstone, however. "Within 18 hours the entire family were here. One minute we were all working in London and 18 hours later everyone was in the hotel. It was really a strange and surreal feeling, but the reaction from everyone here was amazing. In the hotel we even got comfort and reassurance from the Palestinian Arab waiters."
Teen bomb victim's family to immigrate
By Avi Silverman
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