Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony Faces Hurdle as Defense Minister Bars Palestinian Participation
The Israeli-Palestinian nonprofit organizations Combatants for Peace and the Parents Circle-Families Forum announced Wednesday that they were petitioning Israel’s High Court of Justice against Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s decision to bar Palestinian participation in the annual Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony.
Combatants for Peace is a nongovernmental organization of ex-combatant Israelis and Palestinians who seek a nonviolent solution to the conflict between their peoples. The Parents Circle-Families Forum is an NGO comprising Palestinians and Israelis who have lost immediate family members in the conflict.
The decision to submit the petition came after the minister’s controversial ruling that barred Palestinians from attending the ceremony, which is to take place on April 24. The High Court of Justice has struck down similar decisions by the defense minister in past years.
The Defense Ministry cited the “complex security situation” in the West Bank, as well as the planned closure of crossings between Israel and the West Bank and Gaza Strip during Israel’s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, as the reasons for blocking Palestinians from participating in the joint ceremony.
Combatants for Peace commented that this decision goes against the spirit of unity in memory of those lost and expressed disappointment that it was made on the eve of Memorial Day.
The Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony has been held annually for 18 years and is aimed at promoting reconciliation and peace between Israelis and Palestinians.