From this Sunday until Tuesday evening, Israelis will commemorate in quick succession the day of remembrance of fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism and then the creation of the Jewish state.
The ceremonies which will take place in the coming hours in Israel will take place in a particularly tense context. Seven months after the attacks of October 7 and while the IDF bombs the Gaza Strip, in Rafah and in the north of the territory, the Israelis are preparing for two days of commemorations.
From this Sunday evening until the end of Monday, Yom Hazikaron, or Remembrance Day, will take place, a day of tribute to all the dead soldiers and all the victims of terrorism since the creation of the Hebrew state. This day will begin with the sounding of warning sirens throughout the country at 7 p.m. (French time). They call on residents to stop all activity and observe a minute of silence.
The same scenario will happen again Monday morning at 10 a.m., but this time the Israelis will observe two minutes of silence. Many residents are also expected throughout the day in cemeteries to visit the graves of missing loved ones and many official ceremonies are to be held throughout the country.
Torches lit in mourning kibbutzim
According to an AFP report based on official Israeli data, more than 1,170 people were killed by Hamas commandos on October 7, mostly civilians. More than 250 people were also kidnapped and around 100 of them are still captive in Gaza, according to the IDF. According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, more than 35,000 deaths have been recorded in the Palestinian territory since the start of the war.
The day of remembrance will end with a torch lighting ceremony. This event, usually taking place at Mount Herzl, west of Jerusalem, will take place this year without an audience and will see torches lit near the Gaza border, notably in the kibbutzim Nir Oz and Kfar Aza, targets of the Hamas attacks last October.
As announced by the Minister of Transport Miri Regev, in charge of organizing the ceremonies, the torch bearers were this year selected for the “heroism” they demonstrated on October 7 or in the days that followed. follow up. These include members of the Shin Bet and Mossad, the Israeli intelligence services, the army and rescue workers.
These end-of-Memorial Day ceremonies will also mark the start of Israel’s Independence Day celebrations, which occur every May 14. This date aims to commemorate the creation of the Hebrew state in 1948, 76 years ago.
It is customary for Israelis to organize barbecues to celebrate this holiday. But due to recent events, Israelis may not be in the mood to celebrate.
The city of Jerusalem has announced that it will not organize fireworks this year. Residents who had to be evacuated from the north of the country, near the Lebanese border, have also announced that they will demonstrate against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. They blame him for not being able to ensure a safe return to their home.
Igor Sahiri with Vincent Gautier
