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Israel honors war dead before anniversary celebration
The Israeli flag flies at half-staff in honor of fallen soldiers In this story:
April 29, 1998
- Nation comes to a standstill
- Security forces on alert
- A 20th century 'miracle'
- A curious depression
- Related stories and sites
Web posted at: 8:20 a.m. EDT (1220 GMT)JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israelis mourned on Wednesday the thousands of men and women who died fighting to create and defend the Jewish state. But the day was to end on a more festive note with celebrations of Israel's 50th jubilee anniversary.
"Thanks to the heroism of the fallen, we can look to the future with hope, 50 years after the creation of the state of Israel and 3,000 years after the creation of the kingdom of Israel," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the main state memorial day service at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl cemetery.
Nation comes to standstill
Israel silence 2.4MB / 23 sec. / 320x240
842 K / 23 sec. / 160x120
QuickTime movieAt 11 a.m., Israel stood still as sirens wailed across the nation, signaling a two-minute moment of silence in memory of the 18,748 soldiers who died in battle.
At Mount Herzl, Netanyahu and President Ezer Weizman laid wreaths in memory of the dead from Israel's wars with the Arabs, while thousands of people flocked to the other 40 military cemeteries in the country under sunny skies.
The day-long memorial to Israel's war dead began on Tuesday night when thousands of Israelis packed the plaza in front of Judaism's most sacred site -- the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City -- and paid tribute to the soldiers who gave their lives for their country.
Army chief Lt. Gen. Amnon Lipkin Shahak told families of fallen soldiers that Israel's achievements over the years were made possible, in part, by their loved ones.
"In the name of the Israeli army, I salute the fallen soldiers and embrace you," he said, noting that with each year the number of bereaved families grows even as Israel celebrates its 50 years of statehood.
Israel honored the soldiers killed in service to the nation since it declared independence 50 years ago "This is the reality of our lives, in the continuing war for our existence, our home and peace," he said. "It is a reality that mixes joy and sorrow, pride and pain."
President Weizman lit the torch to start the Memorial Day ceremony, saying the 24-hour period of mourning was important for the nation to remember "who we owe our lives to."
Security forces on alert
Israel has fought five wars since declaring independence in 1948, and as Gideon Etzion, 54, said at the ceremony, "There is no one here who hasn't lost a son or a friend to defend our homeland."
Etzion, who was wounded in the 1973 Middle East war, added, "For 50 years we have sacrificed and will do so for 50 more if we need to."
Security forces were deployed throughout the country in advance of two days of jubilee celebrations that were to begin at the conclusion of Memorial Day Wednesday night.
Israel closed the West Bank and Gaza Strip from midnight Tuesday to midnight Saturday in an attempt to prevent terrorist attacks by Islamic militants.
In Jerusalem, where most of the celebrations of Israel's 50th birthday are to take place, thousands of police were called in. Bomb squads were to be stationed outside main events, and police will patrol bus stops and roadblocks to check suspicious people and vehicles.
Netanyahu at the memorial service A 20th century miracle
As the anniversary celebration neared, Netanyahu called Israel's existence "one of the miracles of the 20th century, of any century."
"From an unprotected people we now have a state of our own in our ancient homeland, one of the finest armies in the world to protect us (and) a thriving economy that is fast becoming one of the two or three most advanced technological societies on earth," Netanyahu told reporters Monday.
Asked if Israel's founding -- an event many Arabs call "the catastrophe" -- should also be seen in Palestinian terms, the right-wing leader said wrongs were done "not only to Jews, but to Arabs as well."
"The Palestinians, in particular, have suffered. So have we. We have lost loved ones, family members, relatives, friends in the five wars that were forced on us and the wars between wars," he said.
Citing a "campaign of terrorism" that claimed other lives, Netanyahu added: "I think the important thing is not to dwell on the past, although if one does, that it should be based on solid facts."
A curious depression
But even as the nation prepared for its 50th anniversary, there were disagreements and disappointments that contributed to a curious depression in the country.
Memorial Day ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem Deputy Housing Minister Meir Porush, a member of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, complained that a dance to be performed at a show highlighting the celebrations was too immodest and should be removed from the program.
"We are experts in mourning, but very bad about celebrating," said sociologist Oz Almog. "There is tension between the old generation that actually experienced (the state's birth) and the younger generation that is less interested."
The organization of the jubilee celebrations was wracked by arguments. Chairmen of the organizing committee resigned one after the other, and financing was cut in half.
Even the attendance of international dignitaries is disappointing.
Other than U.S. Vice President Al Gore, they include Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, the son of the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, the deputy minister of the Guatemalan treasury, the deputy minister of education from Russia and the wife of the president of the Seychelles.
The official slogan of the anniversary is "Together in hope, together in pride," but the pride seems muted and there seems to be little joy.
"Everyone is waiting in apprehension about what is going to happen in the future, and therefore people don't want to show too much joy," said one Israeli. "Tomorrow, who knows what might happen?"
Correspondent Jerrold Kessel and Reuters contributed to this report.
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