A proposal by MK Miri Regev (Likud) to require all ministers to attend the funerals of security force members killed in terror attacks is being challenged be an unlikely source Tuesday – the Terror Victims’ Association (TVA).
TVA has demanded that the motion be expanded to include all terror victims’ funerals, and not to differentiate between victims in honoring the lives of those who fell “because they were Jews.”
TVA executive director Roey Cohen explained the position Tuesday in a special interview with Arutz Sheva.
“The current policy requires ministers or deputy ministers to be present at the funerals [of security force members – ed.], as representatives of the government,” Cohen explained. “This ensures that 80% or 90% of the funerals have some government representative present, but sometimes it happens that there is no representative at all at a security force member’s funeral. This is not right. They were killed because they are Jews in Israel and there should be, at the bare minimum, someone there to show solidarity for someone killed defending Israel.”
“We will not have a hand in discrimination,” it said. “We [also] made it clear even to [Justice] Minister [Tzipi] Livni [Hatnua], [who is] chairman of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, that in the event such a law is approved we would like to see it extended.”
Following the demand, Regev’s proposal has already been passed on to the Knesset Committee for Ceremonies and Symbols to ensure that the suggestion of a mandatory representative presence is implemented – but the TVA wants to see a government representative at every terror victim’s funeral.
According to Cohen, “it is important that [. . .] every funeral will include a representative of the government or the Knesset. The best would be if it is mandated through legislation but if there is no legislation [to that effect], to at least have a procedure added to protocol.”
“There is no reason that some funerals have been held without representatives present,” he added. “It is not right, it is disrespectful and we cannot continue to live with this reality.”
“This is a minimum of respect for the family and the fallen [soldiers], the citizens of Israel who fought in our war for our sovereignty,” Cohen said. “In Israel, every citizen has become a moving target – as have every synagogue [and] car. The people are the [bulletproof] vest of the country.”