We are now just four days away from the Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony and the pressure is growing. In the past week alone, the Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, has imposed a ban on permitting bereaved Palestinian families, our partners and even our staff from attending the ceremony, and we have been the target of a wave of hostility and hate.
This is now a test of democracy. In 2018 and 2019, the Supreme Court upheld our appeal to allow Palestinians from the West Bank to attend the ceremony in Tel Aviv, following a similar attempt to block them. It was simply undemocratic to impose the ban. We have instructed our legal representative, and are waiting for a decision on whether the ban will stand. We are staying hopeful, but we may have to deal with the painful reality that Palestinian families won't be allowed to be with us. This is not a matter of security, it is oppression in it's most blatant form.
Want to have a deeper understanding of the Joint Memorial and its history? Two of our founders, Sulaiman Khatib and Chen Alon, took part in a powerful and deeply personal conversation on the Memorial, their transformation, and what drives them to stay hopeful. Learn why the ceremony takes place on Israeli Memorial Day, how it affects Palestinian society, and the ways that you can help and support from abroad. Listen here;
To achieve true democracy in Israel, and to end the occupation in Palestine, we must first acknowledge the other. There is no other way forward.
For anyone who would like to attend the Memorial Ceremony in Ganei Yehoshua in Tel Aviv - please register now! This is a new requirement this year to ensure your safety. There will be no access to the ceremony without registration, so please click below to secure your place now.
There is no requirement to register to view the Ceremony online.
