An ugly incident at the honorable event - documentation:
Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz participated this evening (Tuesday) in the lighting of the third Hanukkah candle at the Western Wall plaza, as a sign of brotherhood and unity with Israel, with the participation of thousands of people.
The ceremony was held as a token of appreciation for the millions of Jews in Israel and in the Diaspora, and for those tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors who carry the torch of life with their greatness.
Among others, about 100 Holocaust survivors who came especially to participate in the lighting were present at the event.
This evening I participated in the lighting of the Hanukkah candles in the Western Wall plaza.
I saw among the participants Benny Gantz who was not ashamed to come to the place after only recently saying that there is room for another beer in Jerusalem.
Of course I couldn't keep quiet and shouted these things at him- pic.twitter.com/dmy7pBQK5p
— Moshe Miron (@a3rs6IE1V0Utkyv) December 20, 2022
The event was clouded by one protester who lashed out at Gantz as he left the venue.
"Shame on you for saying that there is room for two beers in Jerusalem, get out of here," shouted Moshe Miron.
"You have no place here."
People who were next to him yelled at him to shut up.
"In this holy place, and especially in the presence of the Holocaust survivors whose victory is not only the victory of force but also the victory of spirit - we need to remember that spiritual and moral strength are one and the same," Gantz said.
"If we are only with spiritual strength and without the ability to defend ourselves, we have done nothing, if we can defend ourselves but without morals and faith, we will lose the way. Therefore, only the combination of strength and spirit, strength on the one hand and the unity of the people on the other, can march the people of Israel For all its parts, years ahead."
The Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Places Shmuel Rabinowitz said that "from here, tonight the third candle of Hanukkah will go out calling for the unity of Klal Yisrael. The Western Wall is the home of every Jew and Jewess in Israel, and outside of it. There is no other place like the Western Wall that symbolizes the terrible price of gratuitous hatred and war Brothers, each and every one of them has a place to belong, and all the more public envoys, on this occasion we would like to thank the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Culture for their great work for Israel. For the thousands of IDF soldiers who visit the Western Wall throughout the entire year and for the tremendous contribution to Israel's security." .
In an unusual move, a senior member of the future coalition came to Gantz's defense.
The chairman of Torah Judaism MK Rabbi Yitzhak Goldknopf said: "I condemn the evil attack against Minister Benny Gantz at the Western Wall this evening. Unfortunately, there are people who do not know how to separate political controversy from whitewashing. The Western Wall belongs to every Jew, regardless of who he is. Whitewashing Faces are forbidden towards any person, and certainly towards those who sacrificed their lives for the State of Israel. The Temple was destroyed because of gratuitous hatred, the Western Wall is the last remnant of it. On the Hanukkah holiday, we are commanded to multiply light and gratuitous love and not hate, God forbid."
"Face bleaching is prohibited against any person."
Yitzhak Goldknopf (archive), photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation stated: "Following the erroneous and distorted publications in the media this evening, which drew many reactions from public figures and others, we would like to clarify in a way that does not imply two sides. Ministers Benny Gantz and Hili Trooper who honored the candle lighting ceremony at the Western Wall with their presence this evening were received by the crowd With due respect and in good faith. This is with the exception of one single person who tried to cause a provocation and who tried to tarnish the status and the sanctity of the place by his act, but did not succeed."
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