Less pomp, more pain: Israel marks annual Memorial and Independence Days differently

In the shadow of an ongoing war and hostages held in Gaza for over 220 days, Israel's annual Memorial and Independence Days were pain-filled occasions.

Every year, the Independence Day (Yom Haatzmaut) torch lighting ceremony is considered an honour, as well as a source of petty politicking. In a year which saw much civic heroism, many were loathe to participate in official celebrations.

Survivors from Gaza border communities and celebrities including Idan Amedi – the Fauda actor and reserve soldier who was wounded fighting in the war – declined invitations to bear the national torch. 

In one recent poll, 56% of Israelis said Yom Haatzmaut should be restrained this year. With residents still displaced from communities in the south that Hamas destroyed on October 7; those in the north under threat from Hezbollah; and growing international criticism from even Israel’s best friend, the United States – there seems little to rejoice.

The annual Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron) ceremony at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl military cemetery on Monday was also noticeably bitter. Israel added the names of 826 people from the security forces to its list of the country's fallen this year, along with 834 victims of terrorist attacks – almost all of them from the October 7 Hamas attacks and the war in Gaza that has followed.

Faced with the human cost of his current war, Netanyahu offered a reminder of why he was asking families to pay it: "It's either us - Israel; or them - the monsters of Hamas.

"It's either existence, liberty, security and prosperity; or annihilation, massacre, rape and subjugation. We are determined to win."

During Netanyahu’s Memorial Day ceremony speech, a man was photographed standing in the aisle holding an Israeli flag with “7.10” emblazoned on it in red, an apparent reference to Netanyahu’s refusal to take responsibility for his role in the failures surrounding October 7.

The prime minister was also interrupted toward the end of his speech with chants of “You took my children,” from several attendees who were reportedly bereaved families. Videos circulating on social media also purported to show a large crowd leaving Mount Herzl as Netanyahu began to speak, in a silent protest against him.

By contrast, the official state ceremony that ushered in Independence Day was pre-recorded, without an audience, ostensibly for security reasons. It was widely suggested that this was so Netanyahu could deliver a message without risk of more of the heckling that he and his ministers had received in the course of Memorial Day.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, joining family members of those held captive by Hamas, for a sombre ceremony to mark Israel’s 76th Independence Day.

The ‘alternative’ ceremonies

Relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza held an alternative event for Israel's Independence Day, refusing to take part in the official, state-run ceremony.

As in most of Israel’s Jewish-majority towns and cities, the Binyamina event usually features a sea of Israeli flags, major celebrities and singers performing on a stage with burning ceremonial torches and even stands selling junk food, water and yet more flags at exorbitant prices. But during this year's event, hostages' relatives extinguished torches in defiance of the formal torch-lighting ceremony. Some 1,500 people attended the event.

Speakers included survivors of Hamas’s October 7 onslaught; relatives of hostages; bereaved parents of soldiers killed in Gaza; and Israelis who were forced to evacuate their homes along the northern and southern borders due to the fighting against Hezbollah and Hamas, respectively.

The first torch was extinguished by Galit Dan, mother of Noya Dan and the daughter of Carmela Dan who were both killed on October 7 in Nir Oz. Three of her family members were taken hostage. "With a broken heart, I extinguish this flame for the desertion we experienced at Nir Oz," she said. "This government is responsible for the murder of my daughter and my mother."

Now in its 19th year, the Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day ceremony was held online under the banner of “Sharing Our Humanity, Honoring Our Children. Stop The War”. The event is usually held in Israel, but this year, a lack of permits for Palestinians to enter into Israel since October 7 made an in-person iteration impossible.

Capturing the mood on a day which has traditionally united Jewish Israelis, commentator Alon Pinkas wrote, “Never in the proud 76 years of Israel's sovereign existence has there been a sadder, more sombre, depressing and acrimonious Independence Day than this year."

"On a day that usually highlights and extols Israel's major achievements, the country will instead be solemnly introspective, despondent, angry and devastated by the catastrophe of October 7, 2023," he continued.

"But above and beyond pondering October 7, there is a growing realization that "unity," "one destiny" and "we have no choice and no other country" have become meaningless and hollow clichés. Instead, more and more Israelis on both sides of the divide see their country as essentially split into two.”

READ MORE

'No Hostages, No Independence': Hostages' families hold alternative Independence Day ceremony (Haaretz)

In foil to official state event, those hit hardest by Oct. 7 lead torch-dousing ceremony (Times of Israel)

‘You took my children’: Netanyahu heckled as Memorial Day marked at national cemetery (Times of Israel)

Gaza war weighs heavily as Israel marks memorial day (BBC)

In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, tens of thousands mark Independence Day with hope for freedom (Times of Israel)

As Israel turns 76, little to celebrate… except resilience and a unique history (Times of Israel)

Subdued and defiant: An Israeli Independence Day like no other (The Forward)

WATCH: The Joint Memorial Day Ceremony 2024 (YouTube)

Analysis: This Independence Day, Israel has split into two incompatible Jewish states By Alon Pinkas (Haaretz)

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