Two Israelis wounded in Brussels attack flown to Israel
Chaim Winternitz and Mendy Farkash, hospitalized in Jerusalem with moderate injuries, were in Belgium for a wedding
Two Israelis who were wounded in the terror attacks in Brussels last week were flown to Israel Thursday night and hospitalized at the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem neighborhood.
The two, identified by Israeli ultra-Orthodox media as Chaim Winternitz and Mendy Farkash, members of the Belz Hasidic sect in their 20s, were injured in Brussels’ airport, where they were waiting to board a flight to Israel.
Israeli media reported Thursday that the two were in moderate, stable condition, and were suffering from injuries to their limbs. They are reportedly undergoing treatment in the intensive-care and orthopedic units, and are likely to be released in the coming days.
The two, brothers-in-law from Jerusalem, were in Brussels for the funeral of a relative, ultra-Orthodox media reported. They were flown back to Israel by their insurance company, Ynet reported.
Thirty-two people were killed and 340 were injured in bombings at Brussels airport and the Belgian capital’s metro on March 22.
Another of the casualties of the attack, a Belgian Jew who lost a leg, has said he will immigrate to Israel.
“I probably will pack my things, get on a plane and start looking for a small apartment in Israel,” he told Israel’s Channel 2 on Sunday, adding that he wants to be near his daughter, who lives there, until she enlists in the Israeli army. “That’s the most important thing in life for me.”
The airport, closed since its departure hall was wrecked in the attacks, said it had received the go-ahead from fire services and the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority “for a partial restart of passenger flights.”
“The airport is thus technically ready for a restart,” it said in a statement Thursday. “However, the authorities have yet to take a formal decision on the restart date. Until Friday evening, no passenger flights will take place at Brussels Airport.”
In a bid to end the travel chaos caused by the closure of an important European air hub, hundreds of staff staged drills this week to test temporary check-in facilities as well as enhanced security measures.
Under the temporary arrangements, Zaventem airport would be able to handle 800 departing passengers per hour — around 20 percent of normal capacity, it said.
AFP and JTA contributed to this report.
