A 23-year-old Israeli traveler from Jerusalem, David Ben Loulou, was killed last Friday in a motorcycle accident while traveling in Vietnam. On Sunday, following intensive coordination by ZAKA's international unit and Israel's Foreign Ministry, the French consulate in Hanoi opened its doors on what would normally have been a closed day to facilitate arrangements for bringing his body back to Israel for burial.
The case presented unique diplomatic challenges because Ben Loulou held both Israeli and French citizenship, requiring coordination across multiple governments. ZAKA reported that its international unit and Foreign Ministry officials began working with relevant authorities in France and Vietnam immediately after learning of the death. Their efforts included direct appeals to French Foreign Ministry officials, which resulted in Sunday's special opening of the French consulate in Hanoi to advance paperwork and complete required documentation.
Meanwhile, ZAKA's international unit is working alongside family members and local Vietnamese authorities to ensure proper treatment of the deceased and complete all procedures necessary to transport the body to Hanoi and then fly it to Israel for burial.
Serge Ben Haim, commander of ZAKA France, said he personally went to the French Foreign Ministry Sunday morning, where staff provided necessary instructions to the team in Hanoi. "Since we learned of this case, we have been working non-stop with French, Vietnamese and Israeli authorities," he said. "We are in direct contact with the French consulate and with the family. Following our efforts, the consulate in Hanoi opened today specifically to advance the processing of documents. The deceased is located hundreds of kilometers from Hanoi, and we are now working to arrange his transfer and return him to Israel as quickly as possible, while maintaining full respect for the deceased."
Haim Weingartan, ZAKA's deputy director of operations, added that "this is a complex case requiring activity and coordination with officials in several countries. ZAKA's international unit is working together with ZAKA France and the family to overcome the difficulties and expedite the procedures as much as possible. We hope to complete all required actions soon and bring David, may his memory be a blessing, to burial in Israel."
