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Grieving Father of Fallen Soldier Heckled at Polling Station
Robi Chen, the father of fallen soldier Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, was verbally assaulted and called a "traitor" by another voter 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.
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What happened
- 01Robi Chen, father of fallen soldier Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, was verbally attacked outside a Netanya polling station on Tuesday.
- 02An unidentified voter cursed at Chen, called him a "traitor" and blamed Ronen Bar.
- 03Chen was holding a sign with his son's photograph, urging citizens to vote in memory of fallen soldiers.
- 04Before the incident, Chen and other bereaved families gathered at Hostages Square to call for unity and a state inquiry commission.
- 05Despite the verbal assault, Chen reported receiving widespread support and hugs from most voters at the polling station.
- 06Staff Sergeant Itay Chen fell in battle on October 7, 2023, at the age of 19, and his body was returned to Israel after being held in Gaza.
The assailant, whom Chen did not know, cursed at him, called him a "traitor" and blamed Ronen Bar. According to Arutz Sheva, bystanders identified the attacker as a local resident. Chen expressed his pain over the incident, noting that he was simply asking people to vote for the fallen.
Earlier on Tuesday, Chen and other bereaved families gathered at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv to call for public participation in the elections, national responsibility, unity, and a state inquiry commission. Despite the confrontation in Netanya, Chen reported that most people he encountered at the polling station were highly supportive, offering him hugs.
Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, a 19-year-old tank crew member in the 77th Armored Battalion, fell in battle on October 7, 2023. His body was returned to Israel after being held in Gaza for over two years.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Ynet. Read Ynet’s originalThe coverage
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