Rabin memorial rally won't be held this year

Late PM's daughter announces Yitzhak Rabin Center decided against event due to lack of funds, speakers, renovations in Rabin Square.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Kikar Rabin 521 (photo credit: Avi Levy)
Kikar Rabin 521
(photo credit: Avi Levy)
The Yitzhak Rabin Center has decided against holding its annual November 4 rally in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on the anniversary of his assassination for the first time in 16 years, the late prime minister’s daughter, Dalia, announced Monday.
Former deputy defense minister Dalia Rabin, who chairs the center, confirmed a report on the cover of Ma’ariv that the event would not be held this year, due to budgetary issues and the shrinking number of attendants over the years.
“Standing before an empty square would not bring respect to me or my father,” Rabin told Army Radio. “We already said last year it would be the last annual rally. We felt that after 15 years we had exhausted this style of event and it was time for a new format.”
Rabin said she had been told the square, which is being remodeled, would not be able to host the event this year. The center required contributions for its educational activities and the rally was expensive, she said.
She also said there was a shortage of speakers worthy of headlining the event, and the center did not want to reward an average politician.
She said the center had brought people who could unify the Left and Right in the past, and that statement of unity had been made.
The Rabin Center is considering alternative formats for ceremonies that would be held on the anniversary of the assassination.
Rabin’s former directorgeneral, Shimon Sheves, criticized the decision to cancel the rally. He said that after the successful housing demonstrations, this year’s Rabin rally could have had new momentum and could have focused on the socioeconomic successes of his administration.
Likud activist Moshe Feiglin, who led many protests against Rabin during the Oslo diplomatic process, did not sound upset by the cancellation of the rally.
“There is no such thing as Rabin’s legacy,” Feiglin said. “The only legacy Rabin left was the Oslo Accords, from which the public received a painful wake-up call.”