By ANDREA SAMUELS Courtesy The Jerusalem Post

While the attacks of October 7 have left death and destruction in their wake, one thing that they failed to damage was the relationship between Israel and Sri Lanka.

People of all nationalities and religions were victims of the Hamas atrocities on October 7.

Men, women, and children from the US, UK, Canada, France, Thailand, Nepal, Russia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Germany, the Philippines, Chile, Brazil, Italy, Tanzania, and Ireland were injured, slaughtered, or kidnapped into Gaza on that horrific day. No one was spared. The 7,000-strong Sri Lankan community living and working in Israel as caregivers was no exception.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting Sri Lankan Ambassador to Israel Nimal Bandara who told me how his people, all of whom have stayed in Israel since the attacks to assist in any way they can, have been affected by the atrocities.

How Sri Lankans in Israel have been impacted by the October 7 massacre

Tragically, two of their number, Anula Ratnayaka, 49, and Sujith Yatawara, 48, both of whom lived and worked on Kibbutz Be’eri, were murdered in the attacks, leaving the Sri Lankan community in Israel and in their homeland shaken to its core.

A mother of two, Anula, spent the last decade of her life in Israel, where she worked tirelessly as a caregiver. It was in this role that she made the ultimate sacrifice on October 7 to save the life of Ettie Morado, the Israeli woman she was looking after.

Having hidden Ettie under a bed, Anula came out of the house to see what was happening, whereupon she was shot and killed.

I am blind. Anula was my eyes. She hid me under the bed and went forward to see what was happening,” lamented Ettie. Anula meant so much to so many and will be missed terribly by all who knew her.Advertisement

A memorial was held in Petah Tikva on October 25, where Israelis and Sri Lankans, among others, gathered to pay their respects to their much-loved friend.

Yael Gilboa, the niece of Aliza, a woman whom Anula cared for before she moved to Be’eri, eulogized Anula as devoted and with a heart of gold… She also took care of the cats in the yard, and probably also birds and other creatures.”

SRI LANKAN father of two, Sujith Yatawara, was also murdered on Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7. Initially, it was thought that he had been taken captive into Gaza, as his remains were not easily identifiable. Three weeks after the attacks, the Sri Lankan embassy announced that, through the DNA samples of his children,” his body had been located.

Sujith was murdered along with 72-year-old Haim Zohar, for whom he was caring at the time. Haim’s wife, Erga Zohar, wrote on Facebook that Sujith was an angel, he took care of my Haim excellently, took care of everything. He really loved Haim, we loved him so much and we made sure he was part of our family. So, so sad.”

Although Sujith lived and worked in Israel, like so many in his position who crossed the world in order to provide for his family and secure a better future for his children,” he always maintained close ties with his family in Sri Lanka, The Hotline for Refugees and Migrants stated.

Sethuli, his 13-year-old daughter, wrote in a heartfelt letter: My father loves us. He always asked my mother how we were doing. His entire phone was full of our photos. He loves us that much. If we ask him for something, he will get it for us… He only wanted me and my brother to study well and do a good job.”

Another Sri Lankan, Sujith Priyankara, was also shot in the attacks on the beach in Zikim. The 12 people who were with him at the time all died from their wounds; however, he managed to hold on until he was evacuated by ambulance to Soroka Hospital, where his life was saved.

THESE TRAGIC events not only affected the tight-knit Sri Lankan community in Israel; they also greatly affected Ambassador Bandara greatly. He personally identified the bodies of the deceased and arranged for their repatriation. He also ensured that their coffins were draped in Sri Lankan and Israeli flags, as a testament to their devotion to both their homeland and their adopted country.

Having taken up his post in Israel less than a year ago, in February 2023, Bandara has worked tirelessly to support his people in every way. This unwavering support has been invaluable for his community, especially at this difficult time. As a result, none has returned to Sri Lanka, as have other foreign workers. Instead, they have all stayed to continue caring for their clients and to join in the war effort as best they can.

Encouraged by the ambassador himself, who provides regular updates on his Facebook page, many have volunteered to help on the farms where there is a huge shortage of workers as a result of the cessation of work permits for Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza, coupled with the departure of many foreign workers.

So great have been the efforts of the Sri Lankan volunteers that they have been widely praised, including on Israeli TV. Many Sri Lankans also answered the call to give blood.

Looking ahead, it appears that ties between Israel and Sri Lanka will be strengthened further, as the ambassador confirmed in our meeting that since October 7, a significant number of additional permits have been issued by the Israeli government for Sri Lankans to live and work here.

Approximately half will work in construction, plugging the gap left by the Palestinian workers whose permits have been revoked and the foreign workers who have left for home. The remainder will largely fill the vacancies in the agricultural sector, while a small number will join their Sri Lankan brothers and sisters who already live and work in Israel as caregivers.

While the attacks of October 7 have left death and destruction in their wake, one thing that they failed to damage was the relationship between our two countries. If anything, they have only served to strengthen the ties between Israel and Sri Lanka.

The writer is a former lawyer from Manchester, England. She now lives in Israel, where she works at The Jerusalem Post.