Itamar Ben-Gvir is a minister in the government of Israel. Does he have a right to speak on Israel’s Memorial Day at a ceremony to remember and to honor fallen soldiers? Yes.
At such a ceremony, should he be accorded the respect due a minister in the government of Israel, regardless of his political views or lack of service in the IDF? Yes.
Should he have spoken at a memorial ceremony in Beersheba, given that bereaved families requested that he refrain from speaking there?
No. He shouldn’t have spoken. Death and bereavement are not the time for discussion.
So what happened? “Ben-Gvir ascended the stage at the event without coming into contact with the crowd, which was separated by barricades,” according to the Times of Israel. Attendees shouted at him and at each other as he spoke, and engaged in scuffles after the event.
“I apologize to the fallen that we did not succeed in defending their honor,” said Eli Ben Shem, the head of a memorial organization, according to the Israeli news site Ynet. “Minister Ben-Gvir did not act intelligently. He caused blows and a rift between bereaved families . . . Never have bereaved families raised a hand against each other.”
Another minister in the government of Israel, Yitzhak Goldknopf, was invited to speak at a memorial ceremony in Kiryat Gat. Bereaved families objected to his presence, since he is a haredi minister and his community is exempt from military service in lieu of Torah study.
Goldknopf said: “I had a strong wish to respect the memories of the fallen, to say a chapter of Psalms in their memory, and to say a few words about them and to their dear families.
“But I was notified that along with those bereaved families who wanted my attendance as a representative of the government, there are bereaved families that will be uncomfortable. It isn’t right, but I prefer not to hurt their feelings.
“I’m not interest in acting, G-d forbid, as an excuse to disturb such a special and significant day. Therefore, during the ceremony, I will go to the Western Wall and will say psalms in memory of the fallen and will pray that the Creator will bring peace on us and on all of Israel.”
Another government minister, Galit Distel-Atbaryan served in the IDF, as did her daughter, her son, her brother and her sister and their children. She described herself as part of a moderate and liberal right-wing party whose voters and representatives serve in the IDF. She said:
“I was supposed to represent the government at the Nes Zion military cemetery, but several bereaved families from the area contacted the media with a public request for me not to attend.
“I always said and will say now as well, I bow my head before bereaved families. To me, their request is an order. I will not attend the ceremony. I will not hurt any parent, sibling, or child from the family of bereavement. Never.”
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