The body of a Chinese UN observer killed in an Israeli raid on a UN post in south Lebanon on Wednesday is expected to arrive in Beijing tomorrow.

Lu Jing, spokesman of the Chinese Embassy in Israel, told China Daily yesterday that a special plane sent by the Chinese Government to carry Du Zhaoyu's coffin back to the capital is scheduled to leave Tel Aviv at 4 pm today local time.

Du's widow Li Lingling and officials from the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of National Defence Peacekeeping Affairs Office will also be aboard.

They flew to Israel on Thursday to handle the aftermath of Lieutenant Colonel Du's death.

Lu said a grand memorial ceremony would be held at Beijing airport after the plane's arrival.

Wednesday's air raid killed four UN military observers, including 34-year-old Du and counterparts from Finland, Austria and Canada.

Du, a father of a 1-year-old son, was sent to Lebanon last December as one of three Chinese observers.

Lu said the Israeli side was "very co-operative" in helping the Chinese team confirm the identify of Du's body and perform related procedures.

Du's wife, accompanied by Chinese ambassador to Israel Chen Yonglong, attended a solemn memorial service for the four victims on Sunday.

About 70 people were at the service in the garden courtyard of the UN Truce Supervision Organization in Jerusalem.

Large photographs of the four killed peacekeepers were displayed on four separate tables with national flags and medals they had earned for their service.

Source: China Daily