Former Knesset speakers urge Regev not to change ceremony
Avraham Burg and Shevah Weiss argue Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony belongs to the Knesset, which represents the entire Israeli public, rather than the government, that only represents part of it; 'Regev, who doesn’t understand democracy, and Netanyahu who scorns it, are making great efforts to slaughter another holy cow,' Burg criticizes.
“Edelstein is is 100 percent right,” Avraham Burg, the speaker of the 15th Knesset, told Ynet. “This transition between Memorial Day and Independence Day is different. It is a very rare moment that brings together the entire Israeli public. It doesn’t belong to one political party or another.”
Last week, Edelstein distributed a letter to all 120 Knesset members in which he explained why an adoption of Regev’s proposal would result in his absence.
“There is no doubt in my mind that if its national character is erased, the fire will come out of the torches and stoke the disagreements between us. We cannot lend a hand to this,” he wrote.
Burg argued that the government does not represent the public. “This ceremony, from the dawn of Israeli history, has been for the Knesset which represents the entire public in Israel,” he said.
“When the speaker fights for the preservation of this moment, which belongs to all Israelis, he is fighting for the essence of the Knesset and for democracy," Burg continued.
“Regev, who doesn’t understand democracy, and Netanyahu who scorns it, are making great efforts to slaughter another holy cow. I don’t think there will be any political gain for them from this, and the citizens will settle the score with them," he asserted.
"If I were in Edelstein's shoes, I would've put an end to it much sooner. But it's good that he's setting his red line here and now. I support him completely," he concluded.
The speaker of the 13th Knesset, Shevah Weiss, was of the same mind. "It's very important to preserve a solid and continuous legacy in state and public ceremonies, and in general. The power of such ceremonies is in their legacy," he opined.
"That is why I believe we should, as quickly as possible, stop the friction and preserve this legacy, at the center of which is the Knesset, which is the elected representative of the entire public, and the Knesset speaker, who represents it in days of happiness as well as in days of mourning," he continued.
Weiss called on Regev "to join in the tradition of her predecessors," adding, "I really would not want this holiday to be clouded by interference, conflict or any attempt to change the legacy."
'Simply a disgrace'
Some government ministers also came out against Regev. "What the prime minister and Miri Regev are doing is simply a disgrace," a senior minister told Yedioth Ahronoth. "This ceremony is intentionally a-political. There are beautiful traditions that have been there since the establishment of the state, they should not be touched. As if the prime minister doesn't have enough opportunities to make speeches."
Another minister backed Edelstein. "The Knesset speaker is completely right. Miri Regev is determined to spoil the joy and the unity around the 70th year celebration.... it's a shame Miri Regev is talking us into such a commotion, and over nothing," the minister said.
A third minister slammed Regev's conduct. "Miri Regev has invented a wonderful system—argumentativeness and provocations instead of actually doing something," he said. "If I were the culture and sports minister, I'd go and examine the state of sports in the periphery, see what's going on with children in Israel when it comes to culture. But she's busy only in causing commotions. She's constantly busy in arousing arguments: between new immigrants to veteran Israelis, between Mizrahi and Ashkenazi Jews. I'd appointed her a liaison between the Arab states, so she could cause them to argue among themselves."
Knesset Speaker Edelstein said in closed conversations on Sunday that he won't back down. "I'm not fighting for my honor, but the Knesset's honor as an institution and the honor of Israeli citizens that are being represented by it," he said. "The values of tradition and stateliness in Israel are eroding every day, and we must all done all we can to preserve them."
