Gaza kids play in UK cemetery
British cemetery in Gaza restored with Israel's help
Jewish Chronicle says Israel paid UK $63,000 to restore headstones Britain says were damaged during Operation Cast Lead
A Gaza cemetery in which British soldiers are buried has recently been restored with financial aid from Israel, Ynet reported Wednesday.
More than 3,500 soldiers, mainly from Britain, who died in the battles of the First World War, are buried there. Jewish soldiers are also buried at the site.
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According to the London-based Jewish Chronicle, Israel has paid Britain some $63,000 for the restoration of the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery, but it is only half the sum the UK asked for.
The report said the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) claimed that Israeli shelling during Operation Cast Lead had damaged headstones at the cemetery. Israel denied the charges.
"The Gaza War Cemetery was damaged in 2009 when shells fell in the cemetery. Some structures were hit, turf was gouged and scorched and more than 350 headstones were damaged, some of them beyond repair," Peter Francis, a spokesman for the CWGC, was quoted as saying by the Chronicle.
A cemetery employee said many Gazans frequent the cemetery to enjoy its well-kept gardens. He said British nationals have also visited the park to photograph the tombstones and send the pictures to bereaved families in the UK.
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