This week,
Israelis celebrated their 71st year of independence, but only after paying tribute to the country’s fallen soldiers and terror victims. The sudden shift from the solemnity of Yom Hazikaron(Remembrance Day) to the joy of Yom Haatzmaut(Independence Day) is dramatic, but it serves to remind the Israeli public of the heavy price paid for their freedom and national sovereignty.
Remembrance Day is always accompanied by the release of an updated list of Israel’s fallen. As of May 7, 2019, there have been a total of 26,891 men, women and children killed while defending the country (23,741) or in terrorist attacks (3,150). Over the past year, 96 new names were added to the roll of IDF soldiers and police who fell in duty, while the list of civilian terror victims grew by 13, including four people who died in the two-day rocket barrage from Gaza last weekend.
Not all of these deaths were committed by Arab foes. For example, 1,673 casualties are attributed to the British naval blockade of Mandatory Palestine, while another 171 uniformed soldiers have died in accidents during training exercises and other non-military activities. The total also includes Israeli diplomats killed while serving abroad, as well as foreign nationals killed in terror attacks targeting Israelis. |
