As Israel Celebrates Memorial Day, Officer Critically Wounded in Attack

An Israeli army officer was critically wounded Tuesday night when an explosive device went off at the entrance to Hizme, a West Bank checkpoint north of Jerusalem. An Israeli army spokesman said soldiers saw a suspicious object on the side of the road. When they left their vehicle to examine it, four pipe bombs went off near the commander, critically wounding him. Five other pipe bombs were found and neutralized. The attack came as Israel marked Memorial Day for the country’s 23,447 fallen soldiers and victims of terror. At 11 am the country came to a standstill with a two-minute siren followed by memorial ceremonies at military cemeteries around the country. Towards evening, the mood shifts dramatically as Israel will celebrate its 68th Independence Day with dancing and the quintessential Israeli barbeque. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel today has 8.522 million citizens, ten times more than at its founding in 1948. A poll commissioned by The Jerusalem Post found that 84 percent are proud to be Israeli and over three-quarters said Israel is a good place live.