Ceremony in Jerusalem commemorates communism amid anniversary of WWII end

The event was held according to Heath Ministry protocol, in contrast to previous years in which members of the Communist Party, the Joint List and numerous army veterans attended the event.

AYMAN ODEH, leader of the Joint List – he holds a key to the castle, one that only Benny Gantz could use (photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
AYMAN ODEH, leader of the Joint List – he holds a key to the castle, one that only Benny Gantz could use
(photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
A ceremony, hosted by the Israeli Communist Party and the Joint List, took place on Saturday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Red Army Forest in Jerusalem, dedicated to the Soviet Union's army that ultimately defeated the Nazis.
"During thousands of years, and not less, there is no more important day than this," said Joint List head Ayman Odeh. "All of history has been a turnaround from total fascism to advanced values."
As he spoke, signs and flags of the Soviet Union with the well-known hammer and sickle symbol hung in the background.
"On this important day, 75 years since the big win of the Soviet Nation over the Nazis and fascism, it is important to remember that in wars between fascism and socialism, in the war between racism and the fellowship of nations, the workers' union of all the Soviet Union's nations won," said a speaker in Russian in a video dedicated to the event by the Israeli Communist Party and the Israeli Communist Youth Alliance.
"Today, the threat of fascism and racism looms above our society's future and today, like then, only the union between the workers of all the nations that live [in Israel], Jews and Arabs, can prevent this catastrophe," he continued. "When facing the attempts of the extreme rightist government to plant hatred and to divide us, only together can we win."
He concluded, "In the name of the Communist Party of Israel and the Israeli Communist Youth Alliance: good fortune on this day of victory."
The event was held according to Heath Ministry protocol, in contrast to previous years in which members of the Communist Party, the Joint List and numerous army veterans attended the event.
In honor of the day of celebration, The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews coordinator Nadine Ginu came to celebrate with veterans from the Red Army who currently live in Arad at the Amigor hostel.