Meretz MK Determined to End Commemorations for Murdered Tourism Minister Ze’evi

MK Michal Rozin (Meretz) plans to propose a law that would cancel the official government commemoration of the murder of former Tourism Minister Rachamim Ze’evi, Hy”d. “The questionable and crime-ridden ‘legacy’ of Ze’evi should be condemned by the Knesset, not commemorated,” Rozin said. “The public should not be forced to pay millions of shekels for this.”

The Knesset on Tuesday held its annual commemoration ceremony for Ze’evi, who was killed in a terror attack in the second Intifada in 2001. In 2005, the Knesset passed a law to commemorate Ze’evi’s memory, with special days dedicated to his legacy in Israeli schools. A number of public works are named after him, in particular a bridge in Herzliya that traverses Road 20.

Rozin is determined to ensure that Tuesday’s commemoration is the last one. “There is no doubt that the desire to honor this man is a sign of the loss of any shame by this government, which prefers to distort history and praise a man who opposed all the values of Israel. His connections with the underworld, his ignoring of the authority of the IDF, his racism against Arabs and his desire to ‘transfer’ them, is sufficient for us to close this farce down.”

The allegations against Ze’evi, known for his right-wing views, were publicized last year by Channel Two, portraying the minister and former IDF general as an abusive individual who, among other things, violated IDF protocol time and again, endangering soldiers and associating with underworld figures. In response, the family of Ze’evi said that it was “pained” at the allegations, which ignored the legacy of “an Israeli hero, who is no longer alive to defend himself. Broadcasting anonymous charges from individuals who did not identify themselves on incidents that occurred 50 years ago – and after Minister Ze’evi has been at rest for 15 years, and is no longer here to refute these charges – is an immoral and unethical act. Regarding the charges that he associated and did business with underground figures, these have been examined and rejected by police many years ago.”