Israel Remembers Fallen, Then Celebrates Independence

Israelis are remembering those who have died in defense of their country in the first of back-to-back days of national commemorations. Solemnity is marked by the sounding of air raid sirens in the evening and in the morning, each time bringing the entire nation to a halt: from people in their homes to motorists on highways. Television programming shows vignettes depicting the lives of soldiers who fell in battle. On Tuesday evening, the national psyche will abruptly shift into joy and celebration in honor of  Israel’s 61^st year of independence. The second 24-hour period will be filled with fireworks, street parties and barbeques. Meanwhile, in Arab neighborhoods and in the Palestinian territories, Israel’s Independence Day is known as the Naqba (The Disaster) – the national mood reflecting the description. Israeli military authorities have placed a closure on Palestinian territories during the 48 hours of commemoration, preventing Palestinians from entering Israel.