Cabinet Ministers Forced to Avoid Memorial Day Events Due to Judicial Reform Backlash

Mount Herzl Military Cemetery

Cabinet Ministers from Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government have been canceling their plans to attend memorial ceremonies for fallen IDF soldiers and others being held around the country as Israel honors those who died in the service of their nation. These include Housing and Construction Minister Yizhak Goldknopf, from the ultra-orthodox United Tora Judaism (UTJ) Party, deputy minister Yaakov Tessler, also UTJ and Galit Distel-Atbaryan, Israel’s Minister of Public Diplomacy from Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party.

Israel’s National Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron in Hebrew) for the Fallen Soldiers of the Wars of Israel and Victims of Actions of Terrorism is observed every year on the day before Independence Day and this year it will begin Monday night at 8 PM.

At that time a siren will sound all over Israel and last for one minute as people everywhere will stand at attention in silence to honor the fallen. Israel’s political, cultural and religious leaders will gather at the Mount Herzl National Military Cemetery in Jerusalem when the siren blasts and attend the national ceremonies there.

Many other politicians and leaders, including cabinet ministers, traditionally spread out around the country to attend the ceremonies at the same time held at regional military cemeteries. Only this year, unlike other years, the members of Israel’s coalition government are under a cloud of controversy because of its planned judicial reforms which the opposition charges will end judicial review in Israel, thereby harming its democratic identity.

As evidenced by recent events, cabinet ministers have good reason to be concerned about how they will be treated at Memorial Day ceremonies and have expressed concerns that their presence might be disturbing to some of the families of the fallen who come out to pay their respects at the cemeteries.

Minister Goldknopf explained his reasons for not going in a statement saying that he wanted to pay his respects to the fallen soldiers, but “there are bereaved families who may be made to feel uncomfortable by this,” noting that he preferred “not to harm their feelings.”

As for Distel-Atbaryan, the Minister said that she will honor the “request” made by some bereaved families of fallen IDF soldiers that she not attend Memorial Day ceremonies at the military cemetery in Ness Ziona. Distel-Atbaryan said she made the decision after reports in Israel media were made citing such families as saying that she had already decided not to attend.

“In front of bereaved families I absolutely bow my head,” said Distel-Atbaryan adding that a request from them is like an order for her to obey. “I will not grieve any parent or brother or son who belongs to the bereaved family. Never!”

In Israel, Memorial Day is a day of national mourning and not a time to get a three day weekend and have big sales in the stores. The night of Memorial Day all places of entertainment are closed and throughout the day only somber music is played on the radio and television stations broadcast movies and documentaries about the IDF and Israel’s history, but no entertainment shows.

A second siren will sound at 11 AM Tuesday morning for two minutes of silence.

Massive protests have rocked Israel over the past few months, ever since Justice Minister Yariv Levin revealed the government’s plans to alter the nature of Israel’s judicial system. The government’s judicial reform plan would greatly curtail the power of Israel’s Supreme Court to nullify legislation passed by the Knesset and also limit the authority of Israel’s attorney general. The opposition charges this would harm Israel’s democracy, eroding foreign confidence in the country and hurting its economy. And this is why the country is now on the brink of what some are describing as the biggest societal clash in Israel’s history.