Peretz to attend Second Lebanon War memorial service
Following Ynet's report that former defense minister would not arrive at memorial service commemorating victims of the Second Lebanon War, Peretz changes his mind. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert still not attending, due to protocol, security considerations
Following Ynet's report that former Defense Minister Amir Peretz would not attend Monday evening's memorial service for the victims of the Second Lebanon War, Peretz gave in to public pressure and announced that he would arrive after all.
On Sunday evening, Peretz explained that he did not plan to attend the Mt Herzl service because he was not invited. Following Ynet's report, Peretz reexamined the matter and discovered that he did not need a personal invitation to attend.
Out of his sense of duty as defense minister at the time of the war, Peretz decided to attend the service, accompanied by other ministers, including Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog.
Newly appointed Defense Minister Ehud Barak will give a speech at the service, and will be representing the government.
Olmert still absent
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be absent from the event, which will take place at 6 pm at Jerusalem's Mt Herzl cemetery to commemorate the 155 people, including 119 soldiers, who were killed during last summer's war.
The Prime Minister's Office explained that "according to customs and procedures, the prime minister attends the state ceremony for the victims of Israel's battles and the state ceremony for victims of terror. In the rest of the ceremonies, the government is customarily represented by one of the prime minister's deputies.
"The reason for this stems mainly from the many security arrangements needed for the prime minister to arrive at such events, and following many incidents in recent years where due to security arrangements, which took a long time, bereaved families were left outside the ceremony.
"The prime minister honors the memories of the victims of the Second Lebanon War, and once a week for the past year has been meeting with a bereaved family who lost a loved one in the fighting."
