Published: 21 April 2023
Last updated: 5 March 2024
Hopes for unity on Israel’s national holidays are fading as Opposition Leader boycotts the official ceremony and bereaved parents ask government members to stay away from military cemeteries.
Ceremonies of Holocaust Remembrance Day last Monday evening and Tuesday passed largely without political flareups, save for an incident at a Tel Aviv synagogue where attendees shouted at Likud MK Boaz Bismuth as he spoke.
But with the more politically charged nature and more immediate pains of Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day, 24-25 April this year) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day, 25-26 April), politicians, organisers, and bereaved family members are deep in discussion on how to prevent protests marring Israel’s most solemn and most celebratory days.
There are fears the official torch-lighting ceremony, which signals the end of the Yom Hazikaron and the start of Yom Ha’atzmaut, will be disrupted by democracy protestors.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is lowering the risk of stirring protests by providing a pre-recorded video instead of delivering a speech, as is customary.
But Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has announced he will boycott the event, citing deep societal divisions over the government’s judicial overhaul program.
Thousands of bereaved family members have already signed letters begging government ministers to break with tradition this year, out of respect for them, and stay away from ceremonies at military cemeteries.
The Kibbutz Movement has rescinded an invitation to Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for the group's Memorial Day service next week at the direct request of bereaved families, who said they could not accept "inviting a government representative to a memorial ceremony at a time like this."
One lobby group of bereaved families has called on all members of the Zionist parties in the Knesset to attend the ceremonies in pairs – a coalition member alongside an opposition member – to prevent provocations.
The Israel Defence Forces will close crossing points to the West Bank and Gaza for Palestinians for the two national holidays. Closures have become standard practice during Israeli festivals and holidays, seen as periods of increased tensions.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who is responsible for the official event, said that she will enact a “zero tolerance” policy toward “provocations” and added that, "I accept and respect the demonstrations, but the right to demonstrate is not a right to anarchy and to disturb others.”
“It is a state ceremony, not mine or the government's, but the state's ceremony. There will be no jeers, no whistles, no flags. Nada. It is a state ceremony that millions of people in Israel and throughout the Jewish world watch and look forward to and don’t come to ruin it because of protests," she said.
Regev has asked organisers to ensure they can broadcast the dress rehearsal if the live event is disrupted. But control of the official broadcast won’t stop protesters recording any disruption on their phones and sharing it via social media or supplying it to news networks.
In a message to Regev, Lapid said he loves the State of Israel “but in three months you have divided Israeli society, and no fake fireworks performance will cover that up.
“If national unity is so important to you, you would not have dismantled our democracy and instead would have gone to work for Israeli citizens,” he added.
National Unity leader and former defence minister Benny Gantz, who is now Israel’s preferred prime minister according to polls, criticised Lapid’s decision.
“We public leaders have an obligation and a national responsibility to attend the ceremonies and fulfill our duty ... [We must] do our best and attend, coalition alongside opposition, to show that we are all united on this day,” Gantz said.
Culture Minister Miki Zohar, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, tweeted, “Lapid’s decision not to show up for the torch-lighting ceremony deepens the rift [in society] and leads to more unnecessary hatred among us.”
Protesters are also expected on Sunday outside of the Jewish Federation of North America's annual General Assembly, which this year is being held in Israel and is set to include a speech by Netanyahu.
Protesters will call on JFNA delegates - top leaders in Jewish communities across North America - "to make their voices heard, use their influence, and stand with Israelis in defence of their democracy in the face of Netanyahu’s regime coup.”
READ MORE
Lapid to boycott Independence Day torch-lighting event to protest judicial overhaul (Times of Israel)
Israel will mark its most painful day next week. This year, it will be very different (Haaretz)
As national tensions rage, Independence and Memorial Day organisers plan for protests (Times of Israel)
Israel's Independence Day ceremony to cut to pre-taped rehearsal in case of protests (Haaretz)
Netanyahu government fears protests during national days’ festivities (Ynet)
Editorial | Israeli Broadcasters Must Not Censor Independence Day Protests (Haaretz)
Likud MK shouted down by anti-coalition hecklers at Holocaust Remembrance Day event (Times of Israel)
IDF to impose closure of West Bank for Palestinians on Memorial, Independence Day (Times of Israel)
Large protest expected as JFNA's General Assembly begins (Jerusalem Post)
Photo: Israel's iIndependence dDay ceremony, in Jerusalem,- in 2022. (Ohad Zwigenberg
