Herzog proposes hosting state Oct. 7 memorial event amid backlash over government plan
President offers to oversee commemorations ‘in the interest of dampening the flames of controversy’; actor hurt fighting in Gaza slams Regev for dismissing criticism as ‘noise’
President Isaac Herzog on Friday offered to hold the October 7 state memorial ceremony at the President’s Residence, following backlash in recent days over the government’s plan for the event, which is expected to be overseen by Transportation Minister Miri Regev.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Herzog suggested that the event be held under the president’s purview “in the interest of dampening the flames of controversy and preventing unnecessary quarrels and disputes between different parts of society.”
A ceremony at the President’s Residence would be “respectful, unifying, stately and modest, and of course without political trappings,” Herzog wrote. “The ceremony will include state symbols, as is customary, including lowering the flag to half-mast and saying Kaddish [the Jewish mourners’ prayer].”
He stressed that a ceremony held in this manner would not replace the right for “every community, group, settlement, kibbutz, town and city to commemorate the anniversary as they wish,” after several kibbutzim hit hardest by the October 7 onslaught said they would be boycotting the state memorial in favor of holding private events.
“I would ask that this proposal be examined by you with the seriousness it deserves,” Herzog continued, asking Netanyahu to bring it forward for a discussion in the appropriate ministerial committee.
“Israelis are looking toward their representatives and expect that the coming days of remembrance will be a source of comfort, healing, unity, growth, faith, rebuilding and hope; and not, god forbid, days of division, polarization and factionalism.”
Several Gaza border communities have accused the government of using the official ceremony to avoid responsibility for the role it played in failing to prevent Hamas terror assault, and for failing the communities in the aftermath of the massacre.
Herzog’s letter came a day after Regev dismissed the boycott calls and objections as “noise,” further intensifying criticism from the families of the victims and the hostages, as well as opposition members, who accused her of dismissing their concerns and ignoring their pain. She also said that others were welcome to hold tribute ceremonies of their own, but compared these to contentious annual joint Israeli-Palestinian events held on Memorial Day.
“It isn’t noise, it’s our brothers and sisters,” actor and singer-songwriter Idan Amedi, who was seriously wounded while serving in Gaza in January, wrote Friday on Instagram in response to Regev.
“Everyone who came to the south on October 7 secretly wondered if they would be able to return to their families and loved ones,” wrote the “Fauda” actor.
“In Sderot and in Kfar Aza, in Ofakim and in Be’eri, we’re the same people. the same fragments, the same longing,” he added.
Regev responded directly to Amedi, claiming that he had been “misled” by “false items in the media.”
“I also think like you, we must unite and act together,” she said. “When I spoke about noise, I was speaking about those who incite against me, harm me, compare me to Sinwar and threaten my life. At no point did I speak of bereaved families, hostage families or any communities.”
She added again that “unfortunately, the media is distorting and dividing us.”
The government on Sunday tapped Regev to manage the commemoration, drawing immediate backlash in light of her stewardship of state Independence Day ceremonies, which she has been accused of using to put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a pedestal. This year, hostages’ families held their own Independence Day ceremony.
The October 7 ceremony memorializing the victims of the terror onslaught, in which Hamas-led terrorists killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, will not be live-streamed but instead filmed and televised later or available on demand so as not to clash with smaller local memorial events that may be held on the same day.
Regev said Thursday that the event will be held in the south because that is where the massacre took place. It will also be held without an audience so as to avoid offending anyone who should have been there and wasn’t invited considering it would be impossible to seat all the victims, their families, and the people who fought or performed heroics on October 7.
The authority for state events, under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office, said in a statement Wednesday, “The ceremony is still in its formative stages, and at this point we have not reached out to any local community on the subject.”
