BICOM

Israel remembers its fallen soldiers and terror victims on Memorial Day before the atmosphere turns to one of joy this evening as Independence Day is ushered in.

A one-minute siren was followed yesterday evening by a ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where President Reuven Rivlin lit a memorial torch. Rivlin addressed the televised event saying: “Last year, as I stood before you… I sought to dream. I prayed that maybe, from that Memorial Day to this one, I won’t have to visit any more homes of families whose world just fell apart… But this year, too, we were hit with the harsh reality.” He added: “For over 68 years, we’ve been fighting the same war – the war for our independence.”

Earlier in the day Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed bereaved families, saying: “Our sons and daughters go to battle because of a higher calling, and that is exactly the difference between an enslaved and beaten people, as we were up until 68 years ago… But the price is terrible.”

This morning, a two-minute siren at 11am (local time) will signal the start of memorial ceremonies across the country at military cemeteries, in schools and in many work places. Regular television and radio programming is suspended for the day. The state memorial ceremony will take place at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem and will be followed by a ceremony for the victims of terror attacks. The Defence Ministry estimates that more than 1.5 million Israelis will visit military cemeteries over the coming days.

This evening the traditional torch lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl will signal the end of Remembrance Day and the start of Independence Day, as the mood of the country switches from sadness to celebration. Millions of Israelis will participate in popular barbecues and picnics throughout tomorrow, which is a national holiday. The perennial Israel Air Force flyover in the morning will be followed by the presentation of the Israel Prize to recipients for outstanding achievement.