Galit Distel-Atbaryan, Israel’s Minister of Public Diplomacy from Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, said that she will honor the “request” made by some bereaved families of fallen IDF soldiers that she not attend Memorial Day ceremonies at the military cemetery in Ness Ziona. Distel-Atbaryan said she made the decision after reports in Israel media were made citing such families as saying that she had already decided not to attend.
“In front of bereaved families I absolutely bow my head,” she said adding that a request from them is like an order for her to obey.
“I will not grieve any parent or brother or son who belongs to the bereaved family,” she added. “Never!”
“The fact that a person like me can no longer come to the cemetery on Memorial Day is further evidence of the politicization of everything, a politicization that is slowly but surely sawing the branch we all sit on,” declared Distel-Atbaryan. Distel-Atbaryan did her IDF service in the air force.
The Minister also said she does not blame the families who do not want her presence there saying, “They didn’t create the dismal situation that we all find ourselves in recently.”
“I wish these wounded days that threaten to crumble us from the inside will become a distant and bad memory,” she added. “Because if this terrible trend of separation continues – the winning side will only be the enemy from the outside.”
