Bereaved Father Attacks National Memorial Ceremony Organizers
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Yossi Cohen, father of a victim of the Nova massacre and a member of the "Din VeTzedek" forum, criticized organizers of a national memorial ceremony for excluding his group for political reasons. He accused them of exploiting grief for division and called for a national inquiry commission. Cohen also revealed the forum filed a defamation suit against Channel 13 and Eyal Berkovich. He urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to commit to establishing an inquiry commission.
The story in 7 lines · by baba
- Yossi Cohen accused national memorial ceremony organizers of politically excluding the "Din VeTzedek" forum.
- Cohen stated organizers are using the grief of victims' families to create division and hatred.
- The "Din VeTzedek" forum is demanding an independent national inquiry commission.
- The forum filed a defamation lawsuit against Channel 13 and Eyal Berkovich.
- Cohen called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to commit to establishing a national inquiry commission.
- He suggested anti-government protest groups may be funding the ceremony.
- Cohen praised a separate Nova victims' memorial ceremony attended by President Herzog.
Cohen stated that the organizers were using the grief of the victims' families to create hatred and division. He called for the establishment of a national inquiry commission and revealed that the forum has filed a defamation lawsuit against Channel 13 and Eyal Berkovich.
Cohen, representing a forum of approximately 200 bereaved families from the Nova massacre, questioned why a representative from their group was not invited to the national ceremony, asking, "National for whom? What is national about Yair Lapid?" He also criticized the opposition leader for his absence from the state memorial ceremony.
The "Din VeTzedek" forum sent a letter to the event organizers expressing their refusal to be treated as "second-class bereaved." They claim their exclusion is due to their demand for a national, equitable, and independent inquiry commission, whose composition would be jointly determined by the coalition, opposition, and representatives of bereaved families and hostages. Cohen urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly commit to establishing such a commission.
Cohen also suggested that individuals involved in anti-government protests prior to October 7th, such as "Kaplan Force" and "Brothers in Arms," may be behind the funding of the ceremony, accusing them of using the families' grief for their own agendas. He announced that the "Din VeTzedek" forum filed a defamation lawsuit against Channel 13 and Eyal Berkovich over claims that forum members are not bereaved families but rather Likud operatives. He noted that the forum had to raise donations to fund the legal proceedings.
Towards the end of the interview, Cohen criticized citizens who stated they would leave Israel if Netanyahu were re-elected, suggesting they only accept democratic rules when the results align with their views. However, he praised the previous evening's memorial ceremony for the Nova victims, attended by President Isaac Herzog, calling it impressive and noting the president's remarks were relevant and apolitical.