Israel has decided to bestow honorary citizenship on Soumya Santhosh, who was killed in the Israel-Palestine conflict
Bengaluru: Soumya Santhosh, an Indian nurse hailing from Kerala, was killed in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Now, as per reports, Israel has decided to bestow honorary citizenship on her.
In fact, Israeli deputy envoy Rony Yedidia Clein had said that “Israeli people believe that she is an honorary citizen and they see her as one of their own”.
The family of Soumya has welcomed the Israel government’s decision, “We consider it as a great honour to my wife. We have also received information from the embassy officials that our son Adone will be taken care of,” said her husband, Santhosh, as reported by Swarajya.
Repots add that Sherly Benny, the sister-in-law of Soumya, is also working in Israel.
“In Soumya’s case, the country considered her as an angel and honoured her sacrifice. It is a great honour to an Indian who lost her life in a foreign country,” Benny was quoted further as saying.
The website adds that, according to officials, honorary citizenship is a status conferred by a city or other government on a foreign or native individual whom it considers to be incredibly admirable or worthy of the distinction. The honour usually is symbolic and does not imply any change in citizenship or nationality.
Last week, the President of Israel Reuven Rivlin had called up the family of Soumya Santhosh and assured all support.
Soumya, a caregiver from Idduki Kerala, was killed in a rocket attack at Ashkelon in Israel on 11 May, along with the old lady she looked after.
Last Updated May 23, 2021, 5:58 PM IST