The first and only Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day ceremony of its kind was held Tuesday by the Arab sector to commemorate the fallen Arab soldiers of the IDF.
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The event, which took place in the Arara village in the Negev Desert, was organized by the Together - Vouch for Each Other group which works "to connect the Arab sector to the Israeli society," in cooperation with the Israel Police.
Yusuf Jahaja, the father of the late Sgt. Sa'id Jahaja, who fell during operational activity in Rafah in 2004, spoke at the ceremony, as did Maj. Hisham Abu Ria, the first Arab-Muslim officer in the IDF, Druze social activist Lorina Khatib, and Vouch for Each Other CEO Yoseph Haddad.
The ceremony was attended by Muslim and Christian Arabs, Druzes and Jews, as well as representatives from the Israel Police.
During the ceremony, four candles were lit to commemorate the fallen Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze soldiers. A fifth candle was lit to symbolize hopes for unity and peace within Israeli society.
"It is moving to hold the Memorial Day ceremony in the Arab sector," Haddad said. "The memory of Arab soldiers should be remembered among the rest of Israel's fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism.
"This is a sad and painful day for all of Israeli society. On this day, we all must bow our heads and remember the heroes that fell four our country, and make sure to guard it and make it better and more united."
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