Assessment: The purpose of Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, which begins on Tuesday evening, is to pay tribute to and mourn all those killed while defending, or simply living in, the Jewish state …
Though Christians and Muslims are among the casualties of the many wars that Israel has been forced to fight since well before its establishment—and ongoing assaults with which it continues to contend—Jews are both the main target and the majority of the dead.
It is for this reason that dozens of bereaved Jewish families are offended by this year’s Defense Ministry gift—awarded annually ahead of Memorial Day—and have announced their intention to return it. The present in question is a wall clock designed with Islamic and Christian symbols, but none relating to Judaism.
The only acknowledgement of the Jewish identity of the state is the word “Jerusalem” in Hebrew. Even the etched skyline of the capital only shows the Muslim Dome of the Rock and the church on the Mount of Olives—no Jewish holy sites or national monuments.
In addition, the outline of the clock’s face is dotted with Muslim crescents and five-point stars, representing the wounds of Christ and pillars of Islam. The Star of David is glaringly absent, as is the menorah. Ditto for the Israeli flag and Israel Defense Forces’ emblem.
“And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Ezekiel 37:3
In addition, the outline of the clock’s face is dotted with Muslim crescents and five-point stars, representing the wounds of Christ and pillars of Islam. The Star of David is glaringly absent, as is the menorah. Ditto for the Israeli flag and Israel Defense Forces’ emblem.
This was the complaint voiced by the widow of IDF Maj. Roi Klein, who was killed during the Battle of Bint Jbeil in the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Klein became a household name in Israel for having jumped on a live grenade to save the men in his command.
