TA: Thousands attend annual memorial for Rabin

Some 20,000 people participate in rally at Rabin Square in honor of the slain prime minister.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Thousands attend Yitzhak Rabin annual memorial 370 (photo credit: Ben Hartman)
Thousands attend Yitzhak Rabin annual memorial 370
(photo credit: Ben Hartman)
Some 20,000 people attended an annual memorial event commemorating slain prime minister Yitzhak Rabin at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday night under the banner "Remembering the murder, fighting for democracy."
Rabin was shot by Yigal Amir while taking part in a peace rally on November 4, 1995. This year's ceremony marks the 17th anniversary of his assassination.
Speaking at the ceremony, Bnei Akiva secretary general Danny Hershberg called on the nation to fight against "people who carry out price tag attacks, who throw stones at IDF soldiers, who set fire to mosques... who incite hate between the people who live on this land."
"The man [Yigal Amir] that murdered at this square, also acted out of twisted beliefs," said Hershberg.
Also speaking to the crowd, Rabbi Avi Gisser warned that the people of Israel must not let the conflict break the nation. He said that a resolution to the conflict must be found according to democratic values.
Former education minister Yuli Tamir and poet, novelist, journalist and filmmaker Haim Gouri were among others speaking at the ceremony. Artists Yehudit Ravitz and Shlmo Bar were scheduled to perform.
Earlier in the week, an additional memorial event that was due to take place in November was cancelled following a disagreement between two youth groups on the theme of the ceremony.
The Fourth of November NGO decided to cancel their November 3 event.
The event was meant to focus on traditional messages of peace and non-violence, while an October 27 event in Rabin Square by youth group Dror Israel will reportedly address “price tag” incidents and racist comments made by rabbis.
Lahav Harkov and Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report