WATCH: Israel kicks off 75th Independence Day celebrations

25 April 2023, 7:45 pm

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The rehearsals for the 75th anniversary Independence Day ceremony, held at Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, on April 23, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Israel transitions from heartache to celebratory joy, as the nation ushers in its 75th Independence Day.

A torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl marks the end of Memorial Day and the start of Independence Day.

This year’s ceremony is marred by fears of disruptions due to the ongoing mass protests against the government’s judicial overhaul plan that critics say undermines democracy and threatens the country’s security and economy.

Large-scale protests are planned across the country tonight.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid is boycotting the ceremony, citing deep societal divisions over the now-paused judicial reforms and plans to cut away from a live broadcast if protesters interrupt.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who is overseeing the ceremony, was said to have decided that the live broadcast of the ceremony would give way to a recording of a rehearsal should the event be disrupted by anti-government protesters. She later clarified that a recording will only be aired in case of “extreme malfunctions.”