The Knesset Education Committee on Wednesday restored the word “massacre” to legislation establishing an annual state memorial day for the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, months after it was removed from the bill’s title at the request of the Prime Minister’s Office, sparking outrage among bereaved families.

Acting committee chairman Shas MK Yosef Taieb said Wednesday that lawmakers reinstated the bill’s original title, “Law for the commemoration of the massacre and heroism on Simhat Torah – October 7,” because the government was “sensitive to concerns,” insisting that “no one wants to whitewash or change the narrative.”

The move came after relatives of victims accused the government of attempting to “erase” history and evade accountability by dropping the word “massacre” from the legislation in February.

Despite the reversal, sharp disagreements remain over how the day should be commemorated, with bereaved families criticizing language in the bill describing one of its goals as strengthening “national resilience and social cohesion.” Those families argued that the focus should remain on remembering those murdered and abducted.

“Why is strengthening social cohesion relevant to this law? The law is about the day of the massacre and the days surrounding it,” said Esther Buchshtav, whose son, Yagev Buchshtav, was abducted by Hamas on October 7........

© The Times of Israel