4 November

So the 4 of November is a memorable date for most Israelis, the day the Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin was assassinated after attending a massive peace rally in the centre of Tel Aviv (1995).

So 11 years later and every year since a ceremony and remembrance is held. I live literally two minute walk from the Rabin Square. As I strolled down (like I have done for the last 3 occasions I have been here), one tends to think of the meaning, purpose and ideas of why you go to this event.

To my surprise, the masses still showed up in their thousands, close to a 100 thousand, with the left wing political parties flying their banners and the blue collared labour left wing youth movements bringing their troops along. The ceremonies are pretty similar, the top Israeli artist donate their time to sing old classic Israeli songs, a few poems, family speakers and a key note speech. The idea was not to make it a political event, hence no politicians, although the political messages were obviously there. World renowned author and left wing peace activist David Grossman (who also recently lost his son, Uri, in the Lebanon 2 war) delivered a poetic, passionate and strong speech that attacked the Israeli leadership. I recommend the read. Although the papers afterwards were noting that Grossman's views have always been further left than Rabin in his time. Then there is the traditional Aviv Gefen (rock singer) ending with the unofficial anthem since Rabin's assasination of "Livkot Lecha".

So the thoughts flow through the mind, of who this person was, whats his legacy what has changed in eleven years, why are there not other leaders like him around. Rabin was special because he had reached the highest level of the army, he fought the fight and saw that this type of way cannot be sustainable or healthy for a nation, so he turned towards doves and olive branches and was that Israeli person that Israelis identified with, and he acted on what he said or made attempts to. Today the politicians are throwing out big statements that hit the front pages of talking with Syria and LEbanon, but you see nothing of it, why not present some strategy or plan, present it to the public so the nation actually knows what the leaders are trying to do. The country runs on a managing crisis's basis and putting out the next fires, while politicians try hold onto their political careers and lash out extreme statements which seems to promote them.

This post could go on forever, they are number of variables that fall into the equation of what has happened in the last 11 years, but in my view from on top of this world there has been little progress in this country's attempts to make peace since the assassination of its prime minister.