Bereaved parents fume at government funeral snub
Family and friends of the four victims of Sunday's terror attack are expressing anger and disappointment over a perceived slight by the government for ministers and officials not attending the funerals; 'our children were killed and the politicians don't even see us.'
A friend of Lt. Yael Yakutiel's family spoke of the disappointment in the political establishment, saying, "During the funeral they didn't notice because of the clamor and the amount of people, but afterwards, when they realized (no minister had come), they thought it was very inappropriate."
Director Yad Labanim, an organization commemorating fallen soldiers, Eli Ben-Sham, promised action. "Since the founding of the organization, bereaved parents have not protested. This time, however, we will not hesitate to go out into the streets," said Ben-Sham.
"For years we are being led astray. They promised us procedures guaranteeing the presence of government ministers and Knesset members at the funerals of the fallen, but nothing happened."
Following protests and outcries, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to instruct Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman to formulate binding procedure requiring government ministers, deputy ministers and Knesset members to attend the funerals of fallen IDF soldiers.
Yedioth Ahronoth, Ynet's print publication, contacted government ministers asking why they didn't attend the funerals of the victims.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett's office explained that Bennett attempted to coordinate participation in the funeral with one of the families, but the family asked to conduct a more intimate funeral, which the minister respected.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman's office replied: "As with previous cases, Minister Lieberman will visit the families of the soldiers that were murdered during shiva (the week-long mourning period in Judaism), without inviting the press."
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri's office responded that Deri did not attend because he was holding meetings "to revoke the permanent resident status of the family of the terrorist who committed the attack."
Other ministers and officials such as Sofa Landver, Gilad Erdan, Uri Ariel, Miri Regev, and Ze'ev Elkin missed the funerals for a variety reasons such as sickness, tours abroad and religious reasons.
