Fights and yelling: anger at government boils over on Yom Hazikaron
Families at Ashdod military cemetery shout at national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir: 'Get out of here, criminal. You haven't been in the army for a minute'
Israeli ministers were heckled while mourners ended up in a fight in one instance as tensions boiled over at military ceremonies across the country on Monday.
This year’s Memorial Day is considered unprecedented in Israel’s history due to 7 October and the ongoing war in Gaza. Discussions about the attendance by certain ministers at ceremonies began weeks ago, with mourners calling on them to stay away.
At the Ashdod military cemetery ceremony, families shout “Get out of here, criminal. Trash, you haven’t been in the army for a minute,” at national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, which caused others to shout back at them.
“Shame on you traitorous leftists,” one person yelled back. The verbal fighting ended up getting physical inside the cemetery and continued outside as well, with police having to intervene.
“Say Kaddish for Israel! Look what has happened to us. Why disturb us? Fuck off. Look what you’ve come to,” another man yelled according to Times of Israel.
As Ben Gvir arrived in the Ashdod military cemetery, bereaved relatives shouted at him (“Go away, criminal!”) and at each other (“Traitor, leftie!”).
Ben Gvir is a racist ultra-nationalist who never served in the army, a criminal with multiple convictions for violence and terror… https://t.co/g5ydGbx6Zm— Fania Oz-Salzberger ????????????⚖️ פניה עוז-זלצברגר (@faniaoz) May 13, 2024
Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich was also confronted by upset families when he arrived at the military cemetery in Ofakim.
“Minister Smotrich should do everything to bring them back. Save those who live, that’s the duty. All of Kibbutz Nir Oz is still hostage. Bring back the living, after all, neither I nor you, God forbid, can know from whom the soul will be given,” said Einav, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker.
Both Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have threatened with toppling Prime Minister Netanyahu if Israel agrees to a ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas, causing great anger among families of hostages.
Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf was heckled by protesters shouting “shame” as he was speaking in Rehovot’s military cemetery.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the main Memorial Day event at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem, as some attendees were seen leaving in protest.
“We are determined to win the fight, we have collected and will collect a heavy price from the enemy for its criminal actions. We will realise the goals of victory – and at the centre of them is the return of all our hostages home – but the price we pay is very heavy,” Netanyahu said.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
