Grieving Father Attacked at Polling Station for Honoring Fallen Son

By אור רביד

Translated & summarized from Mako by baba

CenterCharged tone

Hebrew · 3 newsrooms covering

Ruvy Chen, father of fallen soldier Itay Chen, was verbally attacked outside a Netanya polling station while holding a sign honoring his son. The aggressor called Chen a "traitor." Chen had earlier joined other bereaved families at Hostages Square, urging the public to vote for unity and an inquiry commission. Despite the incident, Chen reported receiving significant support from most people at the polling station.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Ruvy Chen, father of fallen soldier Itay Chen, was verbally attacked at a Netanya polling station.
The attacker reportedly called Chen a "traitor" and cursed him.
Chen was holding a sign with his son's image, urging votes in memory of fallen soldiers.
Chen and other bereaved families previously called for voting for unity and an inquiry commission.
Chen stated most interactions at the polling station were supportive, with many offering hugs.

Grieving Father Attacked at Polling Station for Honoring Fallen Son — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Ruvy Chen, the father of fallen soldier Itay Chen, was verbally assaulted outside a polling station in Netanya on Tuesday. Chen was holding a sign with his son's picture, urging the public to vote in memory of fallen soldiers. An individual approached Chen, cursed him, and called him a "traitor." Chen, who stated he did not recognize the man, expressed his pain, saying, "They are calling me a traitor." He suggested the aggressor "go to the traitors in Qatar."

Chen had begun his election day earlier at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv with other bereaved families. They held a press conference calling for public participation in the elections, emphasizing national responsibility and the memory of those who fell. "We have been waiting for this morning for three years, a thousand days," Chen said, explaining their call was to vote "for unity and for a state inquiry commission."

Despite the aggressive encounter, Chen noted that most interactions at the polling station were positive, with many people offering support and hugs. He continued to appeal to voters, asking them to remember his son, Itay, and other fallen soldiers when casting their ballots.

Itay Chen, a 19-year-old tank crewman, fell in battle on October 7, 2023, and his body was later returned from Gaza. His parents have been advocating for a state inquiry commission to investigate the failures that led to the October 7th events.