Netanyahu shuns traditional Independence Day events; Opposition: goal was to avoid demonstrations

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday missed all three Independence Day events that he and other Israeli prime ministers have traditionally attended in the past. While the Prime Minister’s Office did not offer an official explanation for the absence. Political opponents of Netanyahu claimed that he wanted to avoid potentially embarrassing disruptions.

These could be by hecklers who oppose the government, or by hostage supporters demanding a deal to free Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity, even if it means ending the war in Gaza.

The three events were the annual ceremony honoring 120 outstanding soldiers at the President’s Residence, the annual International Bible Quiz at the Jerusalem Theater, and the annual Israel Prize award ceremony, held this year in Sderot.

Netanyahu addressed both the outstanding soldiers and Bible quiz participants via prerecorded videos. According to a statement by the PMO, Netanyahu met with two of the outstanding soldiers several days ago, and a video recording of the meeting was played during Tuesday’s ceremony at the President’s Residence.

The Bible quiz included a video of Netanyahu which his office described as “prerecorded greetings.” The prime minister said in the greeting that the October 7 Hamas attack was an “event on a biblical scale,” but stressed that the Jewish people are not new to wars and that a “direct line” joined biblical passages about war and the current situation in Israel.

Where was Netanyahu?

Instead, the prime minister visited wounded IDF soldiers at Sheba Medical Center on Tuesday. A statement from the PMO following the visit stated that Netanyahu was “impressed by the fighters’ determination and desire to engage the enemy in combat. Several of the fighters told the prime minister: ‘Continue until the end – until a decisive victory over Hamas.’ The prime minister assured them that this would be the case.”

After numerous news outlets reported on Netanyahu's absence from the Independence Day events, the prime minister's office put out a short statement on Tuesday evening: "On this Independence Day the prime minister chose to be with wounded IDF soldiers. To the ceremonies in which he usually speaks, he sent a video message," the statement said.

Netanyahu did appear at two public Remembrance Day events on Monday and spoke at both without interruption. However, a person reportedly shouted “garbage” and “bring back the hostages” at Netanyahu as he was exiting one of the ceremonies.

The prime minister has not made himself available to reporters since a press conference on March 31, and other than the Remembrance Day ceremonies he has rarely attended events with a live audience. His office instead issues video statements and selected quotes from meetings, usually several times a week. 

In addition, the prime minister conducted numerous visits to IDF units during the war, but nearly all have been to mandatory service units and not reserve units. The prime minister's office does not state the considerations behind the chosen visits, but political analysts have said that Netanyahu has avoided visiting reservists since they are more likely to voice criticism.