IDF chief Halevi calls to keep political divides out of military cemeteries

Military chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi addresses the main Memorial Day opening ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, saying he hopes the controversy over the judicial overhaul will remain outside of the military cemeteries.

“Tomorrow, we will stand in the cemeteries by the side of the [bereaved] families. I hope that on this day, which is above all, we will be faithful to our heritage and devote ourselves exclusively to solitude with the memory of the fallen and with our pain over their passing. Above all, and beyond all controversy,” Halevi says.

“Controversy is, perhaps, the most beautiful gift the Jewish people gave to humanity. The people of Israel have been carrying Hillel and Shammai for about 2,000 years,” Halevi says, referring to two schools of Jewish thought.

“In the Gemara, it is said that although Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel were divided, they did not refrain from marrying each other. To teach you, that affection and deep friendship are needed to fulfill the saying: ‘Truth and peace loved.’”

The biblical Hebrew expression is typically used as a concluding line when calling for compromise, positive communication, or mutual understanding, even if the dispute remains.

“Out of our responsibility to protect the memory of the fallen, tomorrow we will keep the affairs of the hour outside the cemeteries,” Halevi says, referring to the judicial overhaul. “We will allow families, commanders, and soldiers to… honor the memory of the fallen.”