Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Tuesday slammed the High Court of Justice for ordering his ministry to issue entry permits to 90 Palestinians so that they could attend an alternative Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony scheduled to take place on Tuesday evening.
Lieberman had denied a request by 110 Palestinians to participate in the ceremony, marking Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, saying the event was a "display of bad taste and insensitivity that hurts bereaved families."
The groups organizing the ceremony asked the court to overturn Lieberman's decision, saying that "the nature of bereaved families in Israel is not cohesive. The opinions of all of them must be respected."
The court's ruling noted that "the professional echelon in the Defense Ministry, including the coordinator of government activities in the territories, believes that there is no reason to prevent their [the Palestinians'] attendance in the ceremony."
The judges said that Lieberman's objection to the alternative ceremony, had "taken into consideration only the feelings of the public and families who might be offended by the alternative ceremony while completely disregarding the offense to the bereaved families and the public who wish to hold it in the manner in which it has existed over the years. Therefore, the defense minister's decision reflects gross imbalance and was unreasonable enough to warrant the court's intervention."
The ruling enraged Lieberman, who said, "This morning the High Court has declared that bereavement and terrorism, murderers and their victims, are equal. The court's ruling undermines the Israeli public's most unifying national day and it fosters division rather than unity."
The petitioners – Combatants for Peace, a volunteer group of Palestinian and Israeli former combatants devoted to promoting peace, and the Parents Circle - Family Forum, which represents some 600 Palestinian and Israeli bereaved families – welcomed the ruling.
"We are pleased that the court has made it clear to the defense minister that even his authority has limits. Lieberman will not be the one to tell bereaved families how to [publicly] express their pain. The Israeli-Palestinian memorial ceremony held this year will be the largest since it was first held 13 years ago and the public is invited to take part in it," they said in a statement.
Following Tuesday's ruling, the Almagor Terror Victims Association announced it would boycott the state ceremony for victims of terrorist, scheduled to take place Wednesday on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
"Today, the High Court of Justice compared those who commit war crimes and crimes against humanity to their victims. Therefore, we will not attend the state ceremony for the victims of terrorism on Wednesday, in which Chief Justice Esther Hayut will participate. We will hold an alternative ceremony near Mount Herzl," the organization said.
