Israel mourned its fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism on Tuesday. Sirens wailed across the country in the morning. Many people paused for two minutes in silent remembrance. According to the Defense Ministry, 24,213 soldiers and Jewish underground fighters have been killed since 1860. The count begins with the immigration of Jews to what is now Israel, long before the founding of the state in 1948. The country is also commemorating 4,255 civilian victims of terrorism ahead of the 75th Independence Day, which was scheduled to begin on Tuesday evening.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, almost 9.7 million people lived in the country on the 75th Independence Day. When the state was founded in 1948, there were 806,000.
An Israeli was injured on Tuesday, according to paramedics, when a suspected Palestinian gunman shot a group of runners from a moving car in the West Bank.
Report: Dozens of terror alerts
The Israeli newspaper “Jediot Achronot” reported that there were dozens of terror warnings for Soldiers’ Memorial Day and the Independence Day that followed. The police have called on people with gun licenses to come armed to commemorations and independence celebrations. Thousands of participants are sometimes expected at these events. Opponents of the controversial judicial reform in Israel have also announced a huge demonstration for Tuesday evening in Tel Aviv.
At an alternative event on Monday evening in Tel Aviv, Israelis and Palestinians commemorated their relatives who had been killed in the conflict between the two sides. Israeli radio reported that with around 10,000 participants, it was the largest joint commemoration event since the initiative began 18 years ago. A group of far-right demonstrators tried to disrupt the gathering.
