The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by MK Boaz Bismuth, is scheduled to convene on Tuesday to debate regulatory amendments governing military cemeteries, which propose permitting the word “hostage” and the date of abduction to be engraved on the headstones of fallen soldiers who were taken captive and later brought back to Israel for burial.
2+The initiative follows appeals from bereaved families of fallen service members who were abducted during the Swords of Iron / “Tkuma” War and returned to Israel. The families requested that the unique and tragic circumstances under which their loved ones fell, were taken hostage, and were ultimately laid to rest receive formal expression on the headstone pillow.
Ruby Chen, father of the late Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, spearheaded the request on behalf of the families, joined by other bereaved relatives.
2+The Public Council for the Commemoration of Soldiers evaluated the measure. It recommended approving the inscription on the headstone pillow in a way that reflects the exceptional circumstances surrounding their fall and recovery, while preserving the long-standing standard of uniformity across military cemeteries. The process was coordinated closely with the Israel Defense Forces, the Ministry of Defense’s Families, Commemoration and Heritage Department, and the defense establishment’s legal counsel.
Upon formal committee approval, the replacement of headstone pillows is slated to commence for 20 fallen members of Israel’s security forces and three civilian graves, in close coordination with their families.
2+The defense establishment aims to complete the headstone replacement before October 7, underscoring the urgency of convening the committee and finalizing the necessary regulatory approvals.