Israel divided three years on from the 7 October massacre
Netanyahu confronted by the father of a young man who was killed: ‘You didn’t protect my son. Shame on you!’ State ceremonies will be held on Monday, followed by those organised by the victims’ families on Tuesday
‘You failed to protect my son on 7 October. You failed to protect 1,200 people who were murdered in a single day. Shame on you!’ The cry of an Israeli father, who has been laying flowers at his son’s grave for three years, rang out during the memorial service in Jerusalem for the victims of 7 October 2023, just as Prime Minister Netanyahu was speaking.
A country divided even in its commemorations
That cry alone is enough to shatter the image of a united country, 36 months on, despite the Prime Minister’s solemn tone. On the other hand, Israel is divided even in its commemorations. Two state ceremonies were held at the Mount Herzl military cemetery: one in memory of the soldiers who fell in the war and another for the civilian victims of the attack.
Officially, the two commemorations were organised on 5 October to follow the Jewish calendar, but it is no secret that most of the victims’ families and the surviving hostages prefer to distance themselves from the government, as demonstrated by the interruption of Netanyahu’s speech. The Prime Minister lashed out at Hamas, at regional enemies and at world leaders who criticise Israel when – he said – ‘Israel is protecting the West and the free world’.
Others, including President Isaac Herzog and Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces, have called for those responsible to be held to account for their actions and for a thorough investigation into the security failures that led to the brutal massacre. The question of how to proceed with the investigation into the attack has once again divided Israeli society and the political sphere, with Netanyahu rejecting widespread calls for a state commission of inquiry – the country’s highest investigative authority – in favour of a politically led investigation
Two further commemorations are taking place on Tuesday, 7 October, in Tel Aviv and at the Nova Festival, both organised by survivors and family members. ‘We demand truth and justice,’ says Shir Mathias, who was in her early twenties when her parents were killed by Hamas at Kibbutz Holit. ‘It must begin with accountability: everyone who played a part in this must come forward and take responsibility for what happened, both the leaders and the uniformed officers.”
