The Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, visited the Dee family sitting Shiva in London this week following the murder of Lucy, Maia, and Rina Dee.
Accompanied to the family home by CFI Honorary President Lord Polak CBE, Lord Ahmad said that “Rabbi Dee and the entire family has… been a great inspiration and source of strength to many of us in government”. “The Rabbi’s powerful message of feeling only sorrow for those who harbour so much hate has really resonated with myself, Rishi and others… Today was a very good example of families showing immense fortitude and not feeling hate or enmity towards those who committed these abhorrent acts, and is something we can all learn from”, he added.
The Foreign Office Minister told the Jewish Chronicle: “Today was about the family. It’s not about any sort of political statements. My being here is both personal and important to me. It’s important as a representative of government, and I’m really grateful to my very dear friend Lord Stuart Polak for being able to come together with me, to sort of bridge the gaps in our understanding and learn from each other”.
Lord Polak said: “We are, as a community, very fortunate I think to have somebody like Lord Ahmad at the helm. He understands, cares, and has taken the time, even during Ramadan, to come and visit… The statements he made immediately after becoming aware of the tragedy brought comfort in a difficult situation”.
Lucy Dee’s siblings thanked the UK Government for its “unequivocal” condemnation of the terrorists who killed the mother and two daughters as they travelled for a family holiday during Passover.
Her brother, Benjamin Shaw, said that Foreign Secretary James Cleverly had gone “further than anybody in the British government has before”, adding: “I think the moral leadership by Mr Cleverly is fantastic and I – we all – would like the opportunity to show our appreciation”.
