A fractured nation mourns and celebrates
Israel at 75: Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut
Israel marked its 75th Independence Day under the pall of societal fissures surrounding the government’s policies, with a national ceremony taking place in Jerusalem, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged unity, while protesters demonstrated outside and a rally was held in Tel Aviv.
Speaking in a pre-recorded message broadcast at the ceremony on Mount Herzl, Netanyahu called for unity amid widespread divisions and protests against his government.
“Let’s stop all the noise for a moment, let’s look for a moment at the great wonder that is called the State of Israel. How many miracles have we achieved here in the last 75 years as one people?” Netanyahu asked in Hebrew over a montage of Israel’s accomplishments.
“As one people,” he said, “we rose from the ashes of the Holocaust to the summit of rebirth.
“As one people”, he said Israel won its wars, absorbed millions of immigrants, built a thriving economy, achieved historic peace agreements, developed the cities and infrastructure of the nation, and built the IDF, “with the world’s best male and female soldiers, protecting us all”.
“There are still miracles ahead of us – achieving security, strengthening our economy and widening the circle of peace,” he said. “All these miracles and many more are only possible when we march together.
“And just be sure, we invented Waze,” he joked.
“To do it together is to cry together on Memorial Day and celebrate together on Independence Day,” he said. “To do it together is to know that we have one people and one country, and we will never have another land.”
The event included speeches, choreographed marches by soldiers, musical performances and fireworks.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid boycotted the ceremony, citing the deep societal divisions over the now-paused judicial reforms and plans to cut away from the live broadcast if protesters interrupted.
At the same time Netanyahu’s video was being played in Jerusalem, thousands gathered in Tel Aviv for an Independence Day “protest party” as anti-government demonstrations continue.
Several hundred protesters also gathered outside the Mount Herzl ceremony site.
In Tel Aviv, crowds gathered on Kaplan Street, waving Israeli flags and dancing to upbeat music.
“Israel is marking 75 years since its founding under a massive attack on Israeli democracy that is dividing the nation,” organisers said in a statement. “Against the attack are standing millions of Israelis who love our country and are not willing to give up on the smallest iota of democracy and equality.”
Earlier on Tuesday, families of fallen soldiers clashed at the Beersheba military cemetery as emotions ran high with the appearance of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir at a Memorial Day ceremony.
Shouting erupted as the minister began to speak, he was applauded and hailed by some and castigated by others when he finished, and scuffles broke out outside the cemetery, with mourners abused, and one of them saying she and a group of the bereaved were set upon by a mob of pro-Ben Gvir extremists.
Several ministers were greeted with protests and disruptions during Memorial Day ceremonies.
With societal frictions inflamed over the government’s controversial push to remake the judicial system, some relatives of fallen soldiers had urged members of the ruling coalition who did not serve in the military to cancel their plans to participate in Memorial Day events. Multiple bereaved families had publicly called on Ben Gvir – who was not drafted because of his extremist activities, and has convictions for inciting racism and support for a terror group – to steer clear of the Beersheba event, but he insisted on attending and speaking.
A series of ministers and Knesset members in the coalition had announced on Sunday that they were cancelling their appearances at ceremonies.
Tens of thousands of protesters rallied on Saturday evening as part of ongoing demonstrations against the government’s contentious judicial overhaul, with tensions elevated ahead of Memorial Day and Israel’s 75th Independence Day. At the main protest in Tel Aviv, members of bereaved families set up a makeshift memorial with candles to commemorate fallen soldiers.
But among the tension this week, there were moments of poignancy.
Rabbi Leo Dee, who lost his wife and two of his daughters in a terror attack earlier this month, recited the Yizkor memorial prayer at Tuesday evening’s national ceremony marking the transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day.
Lucy Dee, 48, and her daughters Maia Dee, 20, and Rina Dee, 15, were killed by Palestinian terrorists who opened fire at their car as they drove through the northern Jordan Valley in the West Bank on April 7.
More than 1200 ultra-Orthodox community members participated in a Memorial Day ceremony in Jerusalem on Monday evening to commemorate Charedi soldiers in the Israel Defence Forces who died during their service.
Bereaved families were joined by Jerusalem’s Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, Minister within the Education Ministry Haim Biton, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, and other political, business and military figures.
Times of Israel
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