The Media Line: Amid War and Fires, Israel Celebrates 77 Years of Independence 

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Amid War and Fires, Israel Celebrates 77 Years of Independence 

By The Media Line Staff 

Israel rang in its 77th Independence Day on Wednesday night, raising the flag to full mast following Wednesday’s Memorial Day commemoration. The usually festive atmosphere of barbecues and public celebrations was dampened both by the ongoing war and by the major fires that erupted that day. 

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee expressed his congratulations, posting, “Amidst these terrible fires, the heroic efforts of firefighters and emergency personnel show the resilience of this nation.” 

As a result of the fires, many celebrations were cancelled, including the annual torch-lighting ceremony on Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl on Wednesday night. Instead, footage from the ceremony’s rehearsals was broadcast, including a violin performance by freed hostage Agam Berger and a speech by freed hostage Emily Damari, who also lit one of the 12 ceremonial torches. American political commentator Ben Shapiro participated as well. 

Not all celebrations were affected by the fires. This morning, Israel kicked off its annual International Bible Contest, bringing together youth from Israel and the Jewish world to show off their knowledge of the Hebrew Bible. Later this evening, the prestigious Israel Prize will be awarded. 

Leading up to Independence Day, Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics announced that the state’s population has reached approximately 10.1 million, including 7.7 million Jews and others (77.6%), 2.1 million Arabs (20.9%), and 248,000 foreigners (2.5%). Since last Independence Day, the population has grown by 135,000—about 1.4%.