Israel
A law to permanently commemorate October 7 to be discussed this week in Israel
The bill will look to establish a national memorial authority and create a permanent day of commemoration based on the Hebrew calendar
September 15, 2024 11:22
The bill will look to establish a national memorial authority and create a permanent day of commemoration based on the Hebrew calendar
September 15, 2024 11:22A law to commemorate the October 7 massacre annually is to be discussed this week in Israel during a meeting of the Knesset’s Education Committee, but MKs fear legislation will not be ratified before the commemoration date arrives.
Over 80 MKs from all parties, with the exception of the Arab parties, have signed the bill to commemorate the massacre, but the Knesset has yet to approve the law due to alleged pressure exerted by a senior figure in the Prime Minister’s Office.
The bill, which was backed by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and received wide consensus in the Knesset, will look to establish a national memorial authority, and set 24 Tishrei as the state memorial day each year, during which commemoration events will be carried out such as educational programmes and the lowering of national flags.
MKs now fear the law will not be approved by the Knesset before the anniversary date arrives.
The legislation has been stalled for months due allegedly to the opposition of Yossie Shelley, Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office, who prefers the legislation pass through a government bill – as opposed to a private proposal – and is exerting pressure to that end.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office referred to the bill to establish a national commemoration corporation for the events of October 7 and Operation Swords of Iron as of “supreme national importance for the restoration of the Gaza border communities, strengthening national resilience, and ensuring the transfer of the values of the heroism of the fallen and their memory to future generations.”
However, the statement added, “according to the decision of the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, which discussed the private bill on the matter, the private proposal will be attached to the government bill when it is brought up for discussion in the Knesset to ensure that the submitted law will be inclusive and exhaustive.”
Shelley is, according to the statement, “promoting, together with the Tekuma (rebirth) Administration teams and the relevant parties, an updated and optimal version that meets all needs, which will give a broad envelope to the commemoration.”
Proponents of the legislation accuse Shelley of playing “ego games” in his move to prevent it.
Those championing the law have worked with senior Israeli politicians to get it through the necessary procedural stages, including Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Coalition Chair Likud MK Ofir Katz, and the prime minister’s adviser Nevo Katz.