Israel honors 23,477 Fallen Soldiers on Memorial Day 2016

Jerusalem's Western Wall on Memorial Day.                                                                                          Pic Credit: Olivier Fitoussi

Israel has started its annual Memorial Day 2016 ceremony for fallen fighters and casualties of terrorism. Memorial Day for the nation's fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, began at 8 P.M at the Yad LaBanim Memorial in Jerusalem

Sirens wailed Tuesday night crossed Israel, causing the country to a stop. Israelis ceased in their tracks at 8 p.m. and, stood silent for a moment to respect and remember the dead.

The nation is ticking Memorial Day in the midst of an eight-month-long wave of Palestinian violence that has killed 28 Israelis and two Americans. Around 200 Palestinians have been killed, most said by Israel to have been assailants while the rest were butchered in conflicts with Israeli powers.

For over sixty-eight years we have been fighting the same war, the war for our independence. We realize the bitter and horrible truth – that there is a terrible price – which you have paid – to be a nation determined to protect its citizens and its independence. We will stand strong against anyone who dares to put our resolve to the test in any way.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Tuesday in a commemoration at the Western Wall denoting Israel's Memorial Day. He said this, addressing the families of fallen soldiers during the ceremony.

The official number of soldiers, police officers, and other security executives who have fallen after 1860 while protecting Israel or pre-state Israel was published on Tuesday via the Defense Ministry. The number has increased by 157 since last Yom Hazikaron.

The exact number of laymen who have been shot in “hostile acts” since the end of the War of Independence is 2,576, and It was in Haaretz report who cited the National Insurance Institute. Around 31 civilians died as a consequence of terrorist attacks in the last year.

The Kiryat Shaul military cemetery in Tel Aviv.                                                                                                 Credit: Moti Milrod

The figure of 23,477 fallen warriors which has gone viral is estimated from when Jews first started to settle outside of Jerusalem. The fallen include individuals from the Israel Defense Forces, the Shin Bet security service, the Mossad, the Israel Police, the Israel Prisons Service and the World War II Jewish army, and warriors who died from their injuries suffered during battle, including 59 such veterans this year.

Next Memorial Day siren, two minutes long, will blow at 11 a.m. Wednesday and imprints the start of official commemoration services all through Israel. After the siren, the official national Memorial Day service will be held on Mount Herzl, with functions held all the while in military graveyards all through the nation.

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Mount Herzl is additionally the site of a commemoration in honor of civilians who died in terrorist attacks and a night light lighting custom amid which the nation moves from Memorial Day to Yom Haatzmaut or Israel's Independence Day.

The Memorial Day ceremony at the Western Wall

As per Defense Ministry, since the last Memorial Day in 2015, almost 68 Israelis were added to the list of the fallen and around 31 civilians have died as a consequence of terrorist attacks. Bereaved families, including parents, widows, and orphans, now number around 16,307. Disabled ex-soldiers who later died due to their injuries are also included in the totals.

Memorial commemoration started at the same time everywhere throughout the nation. The "Singing to Their Remembrance" incident was held in the Knesset after the opening services, with Rivlin, Netanyahu, Edelstein, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Yair Golan and Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich in participation.

“We won’t give up the hope of making peace with our enemies, but first we’ll reconcile within ourselves, National reconciliation comes out of our shared fate.” 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last night at the beginning of Memorial Day commemoration at the Yad Lebanim memorial in Jerusalem.

The ceremony started with a lowering of the flag to half-staff and a minute-long siren that was heard throughout the country to honor the fallen. A candle lighting ceremony was taken place at the Western Wall Plaza, with President Reuven Rivlin, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, and spokesperson for bereaved families in the gathering.

Summary of events that took place

[Source]

The official commemoration in honor of civilians killed in terrorist attacks will be taken place at 1 P.M. Wednesday on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. A torch-lighting ceremony will be held there in the evening from 8 PM, which will be marking the end of Memorial Day and the start of Independence Day.

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