Kibbutz Movement nixes slated appearance of Gallant at memorial service
Group also rescinds invite to National Unity MK after bereaved families demand ceremonies remain free of politics with country undergoing upheaval over judicial overhaul
The Kibbutz Movement on Monday said it canceled the scheduled appearance of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and National Unity MK Alon Schuster at a memorial event for its fallen members later this week, following pressure from bereaved families.
The organization said the move was in response to a plea by Yad Labanim, the largest bereaved family organization in Israel, accepting that the presence of government representatives during such a tumultuous period may “hurt the feelings” of grieving relatives.
Israel has experienced a tense three months since the swearing-in of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, with ongoing mass protests against the coalition’s judicial overhaul plans.
Thursday’s ceremony is set to take place at the Memorial to Fallen Kibbutz Members in northern Israel, which commemorates the deaths of 3,120 of the movement’s members who have died in conflict since 1909. The event is scheduled just under a week before Israel’s official Memorial Day.
A general call was issued last month by thousands of bereaved military families for ministers to stay away from Memorial Day events amid concerns the events could be exploited for political purposes.
Last week, bereaved families asked the Beersheba municipality to bar divisive far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from a Memorial Day event to be held in the city, the Walla news site reported.
However, Mayor Ruvik Danilovich wrote back to the parents saying that the city had no control over who participated in the events, which are organized by the Defense Ministry.
Eli Ben-Shem, chairman of Yad Labanim, the largest organization of bereaved families in Israel, told Walla that the group had received over 8,500 requests that politicians stay away from the ceremonies, citing concerns over speeches and potential protests for and against the judicial overhaul.
Memorial Day, set to begin the evening of April 24, sees large swaths of the Israeli public visiting the graves of loved ones who have been killed in army service or terror attacks.
Many of the ceremonies at cemeteries around the country feature speeches by ministers. If the call from the families were to be heeded, it would be the first time that they would be barred from speaking at the events.
A petition started by opposition MK Chili Tropper (National Unity party), reportedly signed by 90 lawmakers from both the government and opposition, has called for Memorial Day to be left outside of politics.
Dozens of members of bereaved military families have joined nationwide protests against the government’s controversial judicial overhaul.
Protests against the government’s plans to shackle the country’s judiciary have entered their 15th week, with demonstrations continuing even after the bills were halted and as talks are held at the President’s Residence for a compromise deal on the legislation.
Netanyahu’s coalition’s judicial overhaul proposals aim to weaken the court’s ability to serve as a check on parliament, as well as give the government almost absolute control over the appointment of judges.
Critics say the plans will politicize the court, remove key checks on governmental power and cause grievous harm to Israel’s democratic character. Proponents of the measures say they will rein in a judiciary that they argue has overstepped its bounds.
The attorney general has warned that the coalition’s current package of legislation would hand the government virtually unrestrained power, without providing any institutional protections for individual rights.
