Benny Gantz slams ‘detached’ government for ministers’ absence at Oct. 7 memorial events

Blue and White-National Unity chair Benny Gantz calls the current coalition a “disengagement government” after writing that he did not see any ministers present at public civilian-led ceremonies marking the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks yesterday.

Gantz, who has partly resided at Kibbutz Yad Moredechai in the south since the Hamas terror group’s attacks, writes that he visited ceremonies held throughout the region, and “at none of the ceremonies or memorial sites did I see any government ministers who came to show solidarity. To light a candle. To [offer an] embrace. I hope I missed it.”

“Before all the disagreements and politics, we deserve for our government ministers to be part of the people,” he adds. “This is the second Disengagement Government — detached from its people and from its responsibility. We deserve a government that is connected, that will repair, that can unite all of Israeli society.”

The phrase “disengagement government” is a reference to the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, which oversaw Israel’s 2005 territorial disengagement from the Gaza Strip, when all settlers and troops were withdrawn unilaterally.

Dozens of ceremonies were held across the country yesterday to mark the second anniversary of the massacre, with some 30,000 people attending the nation’s largest memorial ceremony in Tel Aviv, which also did not include participation from government officials.

The government has opted instead to recognize a national day of remembrance corresponding to the Hebrew anniversary of the Hamas attack. Since it happened on the Jewish holiday of Simhat Torah, and the following day is a transition day known as Isru Chag, the annual remembrance day is marked two days after the actual Hebrew anniversary, on the 24th of the month of Tishrei, which falls this year on Thursday, October 16.