From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Gallant urges against protests in military cemeteries on Memorial Day
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Using Memorial Day ceremonies to discuss anything other than “unity and partnership” will “desecrate the sanctity of the day,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says.
Speaking with representatives of the Public Council to Commemorate Soldiers, the Yad Labanim memorial organization and the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization, Gallant calls on both the public and politicians to leave political and social differences aside, as Israel approaches its first Memorial Day since October 7.
Responding to calls by bereaved families to exclude government ministers from this year’s memorial events, Gallant said that while “the representatives of the government and the Knesset must be in the cemeteries,” he calls on “all representatives of the public, whoever they are… to sanctify the principle of remembrance.”
At the same time, “the public must also show maturity and responsibility and take the protests and demonstrations out of the cemeteries and their surroundings,” he states. “This is inappropriate.”
“This year we received a reminder of who our enemies are and the extent of their barbarism, murderousness and willingness to commit extremely difficult acts. We are fighting the most just war in the history of the State of Israel, at least since the War of Liberation,” he declares.
The Times of Israel Community.