In Israel, it seems we are never too far away from a ceremony controversy. Be it a Chabad woman selected to light the Independence Day torch, or this year’s Independence Day debacle when the ceremony was closed to the public, there is always something just around the corner.
This week provided a fresh update with plans for the official state ceremony marking one year since October 7.
The government’s plan to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attack has sparked controversy, mainly due to the decision to hold the official ceremony on October 10 instead of the actual anniversary.
This event, scheduled to take place at Mount Herzl, will include speeches from key figures such as President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and bereaved families and survivors will participate.
The government’s plan to prerecord the ceremony has drawn criticism, however, especially from survivors and families in Gaza border communities who feel marginalized and unheard.
In response, residents of these communities are organizing their own ceremony on October 7, arguing that the government’s approach lacks the genuine public engagement needed for such a significant occasion.
The choice to record the ceremony instead of hosting it live has led to accusations that the government is avoiding public scrutiny and failing to truly connect with those most directly impacted by the events of that day.
Political figures such as Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman have voiced their opinions, calling for a more solemn and responsible approach to the commemoration, including lowering national flags to half-mast and establishing a state commission of inquiry. “The right way to mark the disaster of 7/10 is not through ceremonies conducted by [Transportation Minister] Miri Regev,” Liberman wrote on social media.
At a briefing on Thursday to reveal the logo for the ceremony – a valuable use of state funds at a time when the finance minister has asked to reopen the 2024 budget to find the money to continue housing evacuees – Regev stood firm and said: “There is room for criticism, but we must not let the enemy see us divided... I am ignoring the noise and will continue to lead the ceremony with seriousness and respect for those who are angry and criticize because I understand their pain.”
It may be time for the politicians to stop dividing the people.
Politicians divide the people
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum, which has worked tirelessly for 10 months, has also decided not to participate in the government’s ceremony, joining the kibbutzim Kfar Aza, Nahal Oz, Yad Mordechai, Nir Yitzhak, Nirim, Nir Oz, and Re’im in boycotting the event. It cited the government’s failure to secure the return of the hostages and the ongoing struggles faced by affected communities.
Instead, it said it would join the Gaza border communities in their independent commemoration on October 7.
While several Gaza border communities have chosen to boycott the government-led ceremony, cities including Sderot and Ofakim have decided to participate.
Residents of these cities emphasize the importance of national unity and believe that state ceremonies should not be boycotted, despite understanding the anger and grief of those who suffered the most during the attack, and the decision of these communities should not be dismissed.
Nevertheless, the fractious nature of the ceremony and communities having to pick sides defies the entire purpose of commemoration.
Ceremonies should be for the people
Ceremonies such as the one marking October 7 should be for the people to commemorate the people. This is even more poignant when discussing October 7, which has left so many Israelis shocked and appalled by the government’s behavior since that day.
That said, we only have one government; whether we like it or not, its members are the only ones who can genuinely produce a national memorial ceremony. One conclusion should be that Israel needs less influence from politics on its national ceremonies.
Ceremonies should unite all Israelis to come together and remember October 7. What is the point if there is a need to prerecord the ceremony and hold it without the public?
So that the government can smile and nod and tell us all that it commemorated October 7 correctly but couldn’t risk disruptions from disgruntled Israelis? If that is the case, the legacy of October 7, one year on, is a more fractured and disgruntled Israel than before.