Day of Remembrance of those who fell in the wars of Israel (04/05)

The Day of Remembrance of the fallen in the wars of Israel and the victims of terror (Yom HaZikaron) is celebrated on the eve of Israel's Independence Day. This is the Israeli state day of mourning. Every year by this day, the number of Jews killed in Arab-Israeli wars and terrorist attacks since 1860 has been accurately calculated.

On 5 Iyar 5708, according to the Jewish calendar (May 14, 1948), the independence of the state of Israel was declared. A few hours after the birth of the state, seven Arab countries, without declaring war, crossed borders and began hostilities. But even before the official start of the war, the religious Jewish settlements of Gush Etzion —, four settlements located in close proximity to Jerusalem, fell in the bloody raids of the Arabs.

The first attack on Gush Etzion took place on December 11, 1947. As a result, the settlements were under blockade. On May 4, 1948, local Arab residents, with the support of the Arab Legion, attacked the settlement. The attack was repulsed, with the Jews losing 12 killed and 30 others wounded.

The first of the captured settlements of Gush Etzion was the village of Etzion. 129 of its defenders, of which 27 — were women, were killed, many — after they surrendered. One person still managed to escape. The other three settlements were ordered to surrender. 238 died in their defenses. Despite the surrender of the settlers, local Arab residents carried out a brutal massacre of them in front of officers of the Arab Legion. 320 people who survived the massacre were taken prisoner to Jordan.

At 8 pm on the eve of Memorial Day and at 11 am the mourning siren sounds. All of Israel freezes for two minutes, people and cars stop, and their heads are lowered as a sign of grief. A solemn memorial ceremony is taking place at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Mourning rallies and torchlight processions and memorial ceremonies are held at memorial and military cemeteries, at places where battles took place. Ceremonial events are held throughout the country, in schools and memorial museums.

Recently, in Israel on this day they also remember those who died at the hands of terrorists. Unfortunately, there are more and more such innocent victims — small children, old people, women, all of them, like the soldiers who fell in battle, are worthy of universal memory.

Yom HaZikaron — is celebrated on the eve of Independence Day on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, closest to 5 Iyar.

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