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Security checks delay start of Yom Kippur War memorial

By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
October 1, 2001

Dozens of bereaved family members missed the opening of yesterday’s official state ceremony marking 28 years since the Yom Kippur War due to stringent security checks.

The annual ceremony at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl started exactly at 11 a.m. even though several dozen bereaved family members were still undergoing security checks at the cemetery’s entrance, since VIPs, including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, and Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz, were in attendance.

’Why can’t we get in? Who is this ceremony for anyway? For us or for the VIPs? Wasn’t it enough they died on Yom Kippur?’ several of the detained family members who finally got in began shouting at the crowd of dignitaries, angered that the ceremony had gotten underway without them.

The emcee finally delayed the start of the ceremony for 10 minutes, and the security checks were speeded up.

When the ceremony started again, a clearly embarrassed Sharon broke away from his prepared text and began his speech with an apology to the bereaved family members. ’This place belongs to you only, it is all you have left,’ he said.

Organizers from Yad Lebanim tried to soothe over the embarrassing incident by pointing out that the unexceptional long security line stemmed from the fact that many family members arrived only 15 minutes before the ceremony was slated to begin.

But with only one line for security checks, it was bound to take longer than 15 minutes to get everyone in.

As the ceremony for the 2,569 soldiers killed in the 1973 Yom Kippur War restarted, Sharon said: ’We have learned a lot of lessons from the Yom Kippur War… The blow we received did not start on Yom Kippur but three years earlier, when the Egyptians broke a cease-fire agreement, and moved their forces. At the time, Israel did not respond to the violation.

’The lesson I learned from the war is always to stand firm that commitments are fulfilled,’ he said.

JPost Features AMOTZ ASA-EL: The big one The Yom Kippur War: The epic confrontation that transformed the Middle East ABRAHAM RABINOVICH: The height of hutzpa MOTTI ASHKENAZI: Just a scared soldier MEIR RONNEN: 'Sic transit gloria' YEHEZKEL DROR: Re-engineering history MARTIN VAN CREVELD: The last conventional war YOSSI KLEIN HALEVI: War and atonement HAIM SABATO: Days of Awe PINCHAS LANDAU: The rise and fall of oil From JPost Archives 7.10.1973 - Egyptian-Syrian attacks held 10.10.1973 - Israel regroups along the Canal. Syrians halted 9.10.1973 - Israel takes offensive, bitter battles raging. Syrian armored units bid to counter-attack 9.10.1973 - Many Syrians said fleeing on foot 9.10.1973 - 13-tank Yuval tells his story 9.10.1973 - Wounded tell of battle in Sinai 9.10.1973 - Yariv: No rapid conquest; Bar-Lev line is evacuated 14.10.1973 - Thrust into Syria widens over 21-kilometer front 14.10.1973 - Last Israeli strongpoint surrenders 15.10.1973 - 656 Israelis killed in eight days of war 15.10.1973 - Egyptian forces lose 200 tanks; drive on Damascus continues. Israelis beat back Egyptians 15.10.1973 - Arabs won't accept cease-fire: Decisive battle ahead - Dayan 17.10.1973 - Israel task force crosses Canal. Syria loses 105 tanks, 10 planes 17.10.1973 - Anti-aircraft missile batteries destroyed 19.10.1973 - Heavy Egyptian tank and plane losses as counter-attack fails 21.10.1973 - Israel forces widen Canal Bridge-Head 22.10.1973 - Israel expands bridgehead, downs 32 enemy aircraft 23.10.1973 - Shooting continues at Canal despite Israel-Egypt cease-fire 26.10.1973 - Emerged from great danger, Golda says 28.10.1973 - Israel, Egypt agree to meet on supplies for 3rd army, truce Non-military convoy to be sent 4.11.1973 - Government to probe questions about war, Bar-Lev believes 13.11.1973 - Sharon tells how he crossed the Canal 25.09.1998 - Shattered Heights: Part 1 25.09.1998 - A sober look at how the war was won 25.09.1998 - A victory remembered as a defeat 27.09.1998 - History may repeat itself 29.09.1998 - EDITORIAL: The watershed war 29.09.1998 - Two wars in one, vividly relived 2.10.1998 - Shattered Heights: Part 2 7.10.1998 - Egypt marks anniversary of Yom Kippur War 9.10.1998 - A Diary from Hell 11.10.1989 - Memorial service marks 16 years since Yom Kippur War 14.09.1994 - Another fiasco like 1973? 17.09.1999 - War and Lack of Inner Peace 11.10. 2000 - Barak preaches unity sermon to families of fallen 28.09. 2001 Debunking a myth: Dayan never feared Israel's 1.10. 2001 - Security checks delay start of Yom Kippur War memorial ------------------------------------------------------ [ Click Here to Start the Photo Tour ] ------------------------------------------------------