News Digest — 4/25/23
Sirens Blare Throughout Israel On Day To Remember Fallen
Sirens blared for two minutes across the country as Israelis stopped to remember fallen soldiers and victims of terror on Tuesday morning (25th). The siren was followed by the beginning of memorial services at the 52 military cemeteries throughout the country.
Memorial Day events began at 8:30 am with a name-reading ceremony in honor of the fallen at the National Memorial Hall For Israel’s fallen on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Those in attendance were Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut. An Air Force flyby, with jets flying in formation, took place above the ceremony.
Israel’s Memorial Day commemorates the 24,213 men and women who have died protecting the country, as well as 4,255 victims of terrorist acts from the early days of Zionism to the present. Since last year’s Memorial Day, 59 servicemembers and victims of terror who have lost their lives were added to the list.
Additionally 86 individuals who became disabled during their service or in terror attacks and subsequently died were also recognized.
A ceremony to commemorate civilian victims of terrorist attacks was held at Mount Herzl at 1 pm.
A terror attack on Memorial Day wounded a 28-year-old man when shots were fired from a passing Palestinian taxi in the Binyamin area, at a group of runners who were running to memorialize Israel’s fallen soldiers – the IDF and security forces are conducting a manhunt to apprehend the assailant.
Amid concerns that protesters would stage vocal demonstrations against the presence of government officials and Knesset members at the Memorial Days services, President Isaac Herzog and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi devoted parts of their speeches at the main opening event at the Western Wall Monday night (24th) to a call to avoid bringing political division into the memorial ceremonies.
7,000 people also gathered at Yad La Shiryon in Latrun in central Israel for an English-language service. The event organized by the Jewish Agency and the Israeli government is considered the largest English-language Memorial Day service in Israel and was broadcast live on Ynet News to Jews and friends of Israel around the world, from Russia through Brazil and Argentina to New Zealand.
Terror In Jerusalem: Seven Hit In Car-Ramming Attack, One In Serious Condition
Seven people were injured in a car-ramming attack in central Jerusalem Monday afternoon (24th), just hours before Israelis marked the beginning of Yom HaZikaron – Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror.
The attack occurred on Jaffa Street, just outside the entrance to the Mahane Yehuda outdoor market when a vehicle plowed into pedestrians, injuring 7 people.
First responders from Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah were dispatched to the scene to treat the victims. All of the wounded were transferred to Jerusalem hospitals. A man, about 70, suffered serious head and limb injuries and was unconscious, in serious condition.
Itai Giz, MDA medic said, “we saw an approximately 70 year old male lying on the road near the ramming vehicle. We performed medical checks and saw head and limb injuries. We moved him to the MICU and rapidly evacuated him to Shaare Tzedek Hospital while continuing to treat him. He was in serious condition.”
“Due to the nature of the incident, United Hatzalah’s Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit was called to the scene to treat people suffering from emotional shock,” said EMT Tzvi Klein.
The terrorist was killed at the scene. He was identified as Hatem Nejima, a 39-year-old father of five and a resident of the Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa in eastern Jerusalem.
Large numbers of police officers were deployed to the area amid unconfirmed reports of a second incident on the nearby Agripas Street.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was nearby at the time, delivering a Yom HaZikaron address.
Netanyahu: Israel Was Acquired Through Many Trials And Tribulations
A ceremony for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars at the Yad LeBanim building was held in Jerusalem Monday afternoon (24th) to mark the start of Israel’s Memorial Day on Monday evening (24th). The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon, Supreme Court President Esther Hayut, Chief Rabbi David Lau, and numerous other political and defense officials.
During his message at the ceremony, Netanyahu addressed the ramming attack which was carried out at Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market Monday after noon (24th).
“A few minutes ago, not far from here, there was an attempt to murder Israeli citizens. This terrorist attack, in this place, at this time, reminds us that the Land of Israel and the State of Israel were acquired through many trials and tribulations,” Netanyahu said.
These terrorist attacks come with the expectation that they will overcome us and will uproot us from here, and if they could, they would murder us all. But they will not overcome us – we will overcome them. We have established an exemplary state with an exemplary army and police, at a heart-rending price.”
At 7 pm there was a memorial ceremony for religious soldiers at Jerusalem’s Great Synagogue. At 8 pm, a one-minute memorial siren sounded across the country, after which the official state ceremony at the Western Wall began.
(isnn.com)
75 Years After Its Establishment, Israel’s Population Hits 9.73 Million
The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) revealed Israel’s population data Monday (24th), ahead of the country’s 75th Independence Day which begins on Tuesday evening (25th) and ends on Wednesday evening (26th).
Israel’s population is now 9,727,000, including 7,145,000 Jews (73.5% of the total), 2,048,000 Arabs (21.0%), and 534,000 others (5.5%).
Since Israel’s previous Independence Day, Israel’s population has grown by 216,000 people, a growth of 2.3%.
During this period, around 183,000 babies were born, approximately 79,000 immigrants arrived, and 51,000 people passed away.
At the time of the state’s establishment, Israel’s population numbered 806,000 people. Today, Israel’s population is twelve times greater than at the time of the state’s establishment.
More than 3.3 million immigrants have made Aliyah to Israel, approximately 1.5 million (43.7%) of whom arrived since 1990. Additionally, approximately 149,000 immigrant citizens have moved to Israel.
Israel’s population is expected to number 11.1 million people in 2030, 13.2 million in 2040, and 15.2 million people on Israel’s 100th Independence Day (2048).
(isnn.com; cbs.gov.il)
Be A Rebel: Dare To Be A Zionist – David Suissa
Few words are less popular in polite society today than the word “Zionist.” But the true rebel thinks: Forget polite society. Rebel Zionists know that Zionism is the dramatic manifestation of a people yearning for 1900 years to return to their biblical homeland. They know they are part of one of humanity’s greatest and most miraculous stories. If that means they get looked down upon by the self-righteous cliques of Zionist bashers, they see that as a badge of honor.
The rebel Zionist doesn’t apologize for the fact that Israel must be very strong just to survive in the world’s most dangerous neighborhood. The rebel Zionist knows that Israel would be a lot more popular with progressives if hundreds of Israelis would die during rocket attacks instead of protecting themselves in bomb shelters. Sorry we won’t die just to make you love us.
The rebel Zionist has no problem telling the Palestinians that peace is a two-way street, and they must do their share if they want a better future. Rebel Zionists, in short, understand that their people need them. They are not at all embarrassed that Israel is powerful. Just the opposite: They think it’s really cool to not be victims and to stay alive.
Israel Is A Major Player In Supporting Africa – Eliav Belotsercovsky
→ Israel has gone through the stages of a developing country. From a barren desert the size of Kruger National Park, Israel became one of the world’s leaders in science and technology, innovation and creativity.
→ The Israel Technical Cooperation Agency – Mashav – was established in 1958 to share Israeli knowledge and expertise with developing countries. Some 36,000 people from various sub-Saharan African countries have been trained in Israel, while 31,000 professionals have benefited from courses conducted in Africa.
→ In the medical field, Israel provides equipment as well as training and follow up support. For example, two neonatal units were constructed and equipped in Kumasi, Ghana, and local doctors and nurses went to Israel for training. Intensive care and trauma units were set-up and equipped in Conakry, Guinea, where Israeli doctors arrived to train local professionals. Israel renovated and equipped maternity units in Abobo Gane in the Ivory Coast. Similar medical projects occurred in Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Eritrea, and Mauritania.
→ Ethiopia benefited from Israeli experience in avocado cultivation, with the crop becoming one of the main Ethiopian agricultural exports. Agricultural equipment and Israeli irrigation systems were installed at the Gambia School of Agriculture. In Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, an agricultural demonstration farm was established. Similar projects took place in Malawi, Rwanda, Togo, Uganda, Cameroon, Senegal, and Burkina Faso. Israeli agricultural experts based in Nairobi and Lilongwe support and supervise these activities in Africa.
→ The Israeli NGO “Innovation Africa” has for the last 15 years connected water and electricity to more than four million people in Africa using Israeli technology. More than half a million people in Limpopo and Mpumalanga have access to running water thanks to this NGO.
The writer is the Israeli ambassador to South Africa.
