Bereaved parents of families of the Nahal Tzfat disaster conveyed a message to Settlement Minister Orit Struk that they refuse her to speak at the dedication of the memorial to the victims of the B'nai Zion preparatory school in Nahal Tzfat, which will take place tomorrow (Thursday) near the site of the disaster following her recent statements. However, there is no real objection to Strzok attending the event but not speaking.
The monument was partly funded by the Ministry of Settlements, which is responsible for the pre-military preparatory programs, after a process that began in the previous government. Israel Hayom has learned that current Settlement Minister Orit Struk was supposed to come and speak at the conference, but as mentioned, some of the bereaved parents refused her to speak at the event.
The disaster at Nahal Tzfat: Former head of the preparatory school - "ashamed and asking for forgiveness" // Photo: Yaniv Zohar
It should be noted that despite the Ministry of Settlement's funding for a memorial, tomorrow's ceremony will be held privately by the bereaved families and funded by them and not funded by the Ministry of Settlement.
Itzik Or, the father of the late Ella Or, who was killed in the disaster, said in response to Israel Hayom's inquiry on the matter. "There are very big differences of opinion between the bereaved parents. Sarah Strzok was wronged. She has many virtues, she stumbled on her tongue this week, she apologized. People on the left side of the map don't know how to apologize, she is a lovely woman who loves the people of Israel.
"It's a shame and pains me that she won't give a speech. I also don't know if she'll make it to the conference yet. There are quite a few families who did want her to speak, there was agreement by an overwhelming majority of families that she would, and following her slip of the mouth this week (Strzok called the heads of the defense establishment the "Wagner Force"; A.A.) some backtracked. It's painful for the Or family and many families for her not to speak, but we respect the other bereaved families and don't want to create a confrontation between the bereaved parents."
Itzik Or also referred to the efforts made to build the monument by the bereaved families: the bereaved families raised a legendary project with engineers and architects who have been working with us on the monument for over four years, giving their souls, righteous people who worked with us hand in hand and invested hundreds of hours not in order to receive a prize. This whole ceremony is done by volunteers and by the bereaved families. And if there are donor people who can donate and who are not, the bereaved families will have to spend money. Make an article about the ceremony, it's more important."
Minister Strzok's office said in response: "The minister was conveyed the views of some of the bereaved parents, according to which they will boycott and be absent from the ceremony in memory of their children if the minister speaks during it. In order to take into account the pain of the families and not turn the memorial event into another political confrontation, the minister decided to absent herself from the ceremony. When it comes to pain and bereavement, there is neither just nor just, there is consideration and sensitivity. The minister is proud that her office bore the full cost of the monument and a significant part of the event. The suggestion that the minister attend the ceremony and not speak on behalf of the Israeli government, while at the same time opposition Knesset members will speak, is an inappropriate proposal that has nothing to do with the pain of the families, and therefore the minister decided not to accept it. From the bottom of her heart, Sarah Strzok wishes all the families of the foregoing tragedy that they will no longer know grief."
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