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| The desecrated memorial |
The Israeli public is outraged after an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family went swimming in an IDF memorial, according to photos uploaded to the internet.
Members of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family, who were vacationing in northern Israel, were seen swimming inside a memorial in memory of 73 IDF victims. The victims died in a helicopter crash. The parents and the children went swimming in the memorial despite the fact that the names of the victims are engraved at the site.
A Knesset member, who lost a loved one in the incident, said she cannot comprehend why the ultra-Orthodox Jews would disrespect fallen soldiers in such a manner.
"On the one hand there is a deep sadness, and I’m trying to understand how we got into this situation in which ultra-Orthodox Jews could desecrate the memory of 73 fallen soldiers. On the other hand, I do not want to accuse the entire ultra-Orthodox Jewish community for this shameful act,” Shuly Muallem, a Knesset member of the Jewish Home party, said.
"I know that this morning, even the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community is shocked from this despicable act. Our mission is to find and bring those behind this desecration to justice," Muallem said.
A formal complaint with the police was filed following the incident by Eli Ben-Shem, chairman of the Yad Labanim organization. Based on the legal opinion of the Attorney General of the organization, "No person is allowed to desecrate a memorial or national memorial site.”
The Defense Ministry strongly condemned the desecration of the memorial, and expressed its shock and disgust from the pictures published on the internet.