Israel Marks 76th Independence Day Worried and Deeply Fractured
- Many events are canceled as people decline to celebrate
- Battle over torch-lighting ceremony shows internal fissures
Yom HaZikaron ceremony in Habima Square in Tel Aviv on May 12.
Photographer: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images
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Every year, Israel marks Independence Day with a live-streamed torch-lighting ceremony at its Jerusalem national cemetery. Select citizens light 12 beacons, creating a transition from a mournful 24 hours focused on fallen warriors and terror victims to fireworks and parades celebrating Jewish national sovereignty.
This year, as Israel turns 76 in the middle of a ferocious war, things will be different.