Sammy Ofer laid to rest

Hundreds of people, including high profile business and government figures, paid their respects at the funeral of Israeli shipping tycoon Sammy Ofer held at the Trumpeldor cemetery in Tel Aviv on Sunday.

Ofer passed away at the age of 89 on Friday morning in his Akirov Tower apartment in Tel Aviv, after a prolong battle with grave illness.

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He was survived by wife Aviva, sons Eyal and Idan, eight grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

The funeral was attended by the likes of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, former UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman, former Shin Bet chief Yaakov Peri, Minister Silvan Shalom and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai.

Mourners at Tel Aviv cemetery (Photo: Yaron Brener)

Businessman and former Knesset Member Shmuel Flatto-Sharon said he was certain recent claims against Ofer surrounding the Iran trade affair will turn out to be false. "I don't believe he spent one minute acting against the State," he said.

Ofer's son Eyal eulogized his father. "He was a humble person who wanted to learn from his mistakes and other people's mistakes. He never forgot where he came from or how it felt to be poor."

Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav said: "Today we bury one of the people who contributed the most to the city of Haifa."

The veteran captain of industries was the unfortunate man of the hour over the past two weeks: Last Sunday, it was revealed that at least seven oil-tankers belonging to Tanker Pacific, owned the Ofer Brothers, had docked in Iran between 2004 and 2007.

Later, it was revealed that an eighth vessel owned by Zodiac – another of Ofer's holdings, also had ties with Iran.

The revelation sparked a debate about Israel's somewhat lax laws regarding trade with the Islamic Republic.

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