Israeli Housing and Construction Minister Yitzchok Goldknopf of United Torah Judaism announced on Wednesday morning that he would not be attending the Memorial Day ceremony scheduled in Kiryat Gat. His decision came after concerns were raised that his presence might provoke demonstrations, which he said could lead to a breach of the day’s solemn atmosphere.
Instead of appearing at the event, Goldknopf stated that he would head to Yerushalayim, where he planned to spend time reciting Tehillim in remembrance of those who died in Israel’s wars and in acts of terror.
Speaking to Maariv on Tuesday, Chaim Saadon, whose brother Avner was killed in Lebanon in 1972, and who was among the signatories of a letter urging Goldknopf to stay away from the ceremony, said: “I, as a bereaved brother for over 50 years, simply feel insulted by the way this is being done. People who preach not to enlist in the military come to speak about fallen soldiers, I’m not even talking about Goldknopf’s personal behavior.”
Saadon went on to say: “It’s not just him, it’s all the chareidi ministers who go; they insult us by the fact that they don’t enlist, and they insult us that on the holiest and most significant day of the year for us, they want to come and speak at the state ceremony. I think you can’t lend a hand to this.”
{Matzav.com Israel}