Nir Barkat. (Miriam Alster/Flash90) (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
Nir Barkat

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Economy Minister Nir Barkat notes that terror victim Lucy Dee’s family decided to donate her organs, while the PA will pay her murderers $1 million.

By Ben Rappaport, United with Israel

Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat on Tuesday spoke to CNN about the terrorist murders of Lucy Dee and her daughters Maia and Rina.

The three were shot by terrorists on Friday as they drove in the Jordan Valley. Maia, 20, and Rina, 16, were killed at the scene, while Lucy was critically wounded. She was taken to the hospital and later succumbed to her wounds.

The bereaved husband and father of the family, Rabbi Leo Dee, later announced that the remaining family members had decided to donate Lucy’s organs.

Speaking to CNN, Barkat noted how the decision of the Dee family to donate the organs further accentuated the difference between the values of the Jews and those of the terrorists who try to murder them.

“Unfortunately, when the mother died just a few hours ago, they [the Dee family] donated the organs to save other people’s lives. And on the other side, the terrorists – do you know what they’re going to get from the Palestinian Authority? A million dollars for the rest of their lives – for killing innocent Jews,” he said.

“That’s the difference between living as Jews, seeking life and making a better life for other people, and the terrorists, who all they seek is death. That’s all they seek,” Barkat added.

On Tuesday, Rabbi Dee explained to Israel National News that he and his three surviving children had jointly decided to donate his wife’s organs after receiving news of her passing being notified that her condition was such that her organs could be donated.

He said the decision “was based on the following reasoning: Number one, my posek [rabbi] had checked out the halachot [Jewish law] and had explained to me that in her condition it is…acceptable, actually, a mitzvah.”

“Only the [bones and tendons]…should not be donated. Everything else that is [life-saving] should be given.”

“Second, Lucy and I had discussed this in the past, and the only reason we didn’t have [organ donor cards] was we were worried that if we were abroad and we had donation cards that a hospital in England or Switzerland might switch us off a little bit early and not in a halachic way in order to get the organs,” Rabbi Dee added.

“Five lives were saved and two cornea donations will be made, which is very good news for the family as much as a comfort as possible given the circumstances,” he concluded.

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