Protesters: Olmert, learn from Golda

Soldiers on reserve duty continue struggle. Hundreds participated in the protest march of reserve soldiers and bereaved families on Friday.

The participants left from the Beit Shemesh area, near Jerusalem, and ended the march next to the tomb of late Prime Minister Golda Meir on Mount Herzl in the capital. Once there, they had a moment of silence in memory of the fallen soldiers.

Moshe Muskal, the father of fallen soldier Refanel Muskal who was killed in Lebanon and one of the organizers of the protest movement that was established following the war, said that they chose to march to Golda's tomb so that "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will learn from her (since she resigned following the Yom Kippur War). The disapproval of the public, that is currently so rampant in the country, will shamefully dismiss him following his failure."

Refanel Muskal's mother said that her son "ordered us to lead this protest march."

Bereaved families and reserve duty soldiers during protest (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Elipaz Balua, the father of Nadav who was killed in Lebanon, read a letter he wrote to his son: "It hurts me not just because I lost you, but because of an entire nation who lost its direction and because her leaders who cannot take responsibility and say 'we were wrong, we need to go home'," he said.

"It hurts me that I brought you up to love your country unconditionally, and for the first time in my life I stand and ask myself 'Is this the right way? Is it right to bring up a child to love the country unconditionally and to give his life for it when our leaders are unreasonable and lack honesty and decency?'"

Peace Now: Protest march is right-wing political campaign

Roni Zweigenbaum, representative of the reserve soldiers, told the protesters: "Lately there were a lot of rumors saying that the Yesha Council is sponsoring us, that we're orange (nickname for those who opposed the disengagement). I say that we are not orange, or green, or red – we're the IDF and our army is blue and white."

The rumors Zweigenbaum was referring to were spread following Peace Now Secretary-General Yariv Oppenheimer's remarks that "the protest march next to Golda's tomb is part of an orange political campaign that is intended to bring about a more rightist leadership to power."

Sources at the Peace Now movement claimed prior to the protest: "The Muskal family members, who organized the march, are well-known right-wing activists who opposed the disengagement and opposed the ceasefire. They do not represent all bereaved parents."