Singers Yardena Arazi and Boaz Sharabi declined Transportation Minister Miri Regev’s request to participate in the torch-bearing event at the Independence Day ceremony at Mount Herzl.
Sharabi’s representative said the reason he would not be able to participate was due to time constraints and not for political reasons.
Arazi initially confirmed her participation but soon retracted it, saying, “I am a citizen of this country, but its daily realities seep into my veins. I feel pain and hope for better, united days when statehood will once again be a leading value in Israeli public life. I thank everyone who was involved in electing me.” Arazi then ended her message calling for the return of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
The torch lighting ceremony will, however, feature released hostage Eli Sharabi. Channel 13 news anchor Netali Shem Tov and Channel 14 news anchor Lital Shemesh will also be involved in the ceremony.
Their announcements come a day after Jewish-American commentator Ben Shapiro was announced as a ceremonial torchbearer. Regev clarified that she chose him from among the recommendations of the public advisory committee.
Regev clarified that she chose him from among the recommendations of the public advisory committee.
Gilad Kariv's criticism of Shapiro and Regev
The Democrats MK Gilad Kariv criticized Regev’s choice in picking Shapiro, saying the minister “chose to continue her years-long campaign to desecrate Independence Day and unravel every respectful and sacred moment of Israeli unity.
The MK continued by saying Shapiro is a poor choice to represent the Diaspora, claiming that the political commentator is a “controversial, polarizing, and divisive figure – someone who has spoken out against the LGBTQ+ community, against the State of Israel’s investment in liberal Jewish communities around the world, against women’s rights over their own bodies, and against every American Jew who supported the Democratic Party (three-quarters of American Jewry).”
He continued his attacks on Shapiro by saying that the choice of the Daily Wire founder “says more about Miri Regev than it says about him,” adding that she is an “agent” of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “effort to divide and incite Israeli society and tear it apart.
“No wonder the fundamentalist Avi Maoz was quick to praise the choice. Extremist minds think alike.”
Tal Shalev contributed to this report.