Israeli President apologizes after 1956 Kafr Qassem massacre

Sixty-five years later, the Israeli president asks forgiveness for the massacre of Israeli Arabs shot dead by soldiers on October 29, 1956 in the village of Kafr Qassem.

(Illustrative photo) AFP - GIL COHEN-MAGEN

Text by: RFI Follow

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Sixty-five years later, the Israeli president asks forgiveness for the massacre of Israeli Arabs shot dead by soldiers during the Sinai war.

The Knesset, for its part, rejected a motion to recognize the country's responsibility for the slaughter. 

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With our correspondent in Jerusalem,

Michel Paul 

It is in Arabic that the Israeli president asks forgiveness on his behalf and on behalf of the State of Israel from the inhabitants of the locality of Kafr Qassem.

“ 

I bow in remembrance of the 49 victims,

 ” Isaac Herzog said again.

It was in 1956 that Israeli border guards opened fire on the inhabitants of this small town located in the center of the country.

Their crime: having broken the curfew in times of war.

Looking forward to a national day of remembrance

At the time, those responsible for the massacre had been convicted by a court which had called the order to open fire on civilians " 

manifestly illegal

 ".

But the prison terms were ultimately commuted.

Israel had so far not assumed formal responsibility for this slaughter.

Regularly, as the anniversary date approaches, Arab members of the Israeli parliament introduce a bill to establish a national day of remembrance to mark the responsibility of the Israeli government.

This year again, the text was rejected by the Knesset after causing a stir within the governing coalition.

הרג ופגיעה בחפים מפשע הם אסורים בתכלית האיסור.

הם חייבים להישאר מעל לכל מחלוקת פוליטית.



אני מרכין את ראשי בפני זיכרון ארבעים ותשעה ההרוגים, ומבקש, בשמי ובשם מדינת ישראל - סליחה.



מתוך דברים שנשאתי היום באירוע זיכרון להרוגי הטבח בכפר קאסם.

pic.twitter.com/3RJY0Z7qXh

- יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) October 29, 2021

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