The government Ceremonies Committee, which operates under Minister of Culture & Sport Miri Regev, has announced the details of the coming days pertaining to the passing of Israel’s ninth President, Mr. Shimon Peres.
The levaya itself is scheduled for 11:00AM on Friday morning at Mt. Herzl, in the section for the nation’s leaders.
· 8:45AM Thursday morning: President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will lay wreathes as the coffin will lie in state in Knesset from 9:00AM to 9:00PM.
· Tens of thousands are people are expected to visit during the day.
· The funeral on Friday will begin at 8:30AM when the niftar will be transferred from Knesset to Mt. Herzl.
· 9:30AM – 11:00AM: Hespedim at Har Herzl.
· 12:00PM: Kvura at Har Herzl.
For the many travelers on erev Shabbos, ahead of Rosh Hashanah or those simply moving about, one should realize the Jerusalem -Tel Aviv Highway will be closed on erev Shabbos as world leaders make their way from the airport to the capital.
Traffic snarls or worse should be expected in many areas including the capital in the area of Har Herzl (Bayit Vegan, Kiryat Yovel, heading to/from Hadassah Ein Kerem and much more).
At this time, the list of foreign leaders and VIPs expected to arrive in Israel to take part in the funeral includes:
· US President Barak Obama
· Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
· Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary
· French President Francois Hollande
· Prince Charles
· Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
· US Secretary of State John Kerry
· German Chancellor Angela Merkel
· UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
· US Vice President Joe Biden
· German President Joachim Gauck
· Crown Prince Charles
· Former Queen of the Netherlands, Queen Beatrix
· Romanian President Klaus Iohannnis
· Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe
· Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto
Security in the capital will be extremely heavy. Many areas will be closed off, and for those traveling; one is urged to allow extra hours to get to and be processed in Ben-Gurion International Airport in the coming days. Prior to the petira of Mr. Peres Airports Authority officials announced anyone flying on Thursday or Friday is urged to be at the airport at least four hours before departure.
This did not take into consideration the traffic issues surrounding the arrival of VIPs from around the world or anything to do with heightened security in and around the airport and the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway which will be closed for period of time.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Why YWN is becoming 24 hr news about Shimon Peres? Enough is enough, we got the point. Is’t there other important news today concerning Jewish world?
There are many readers of YWN in Israel who appreciate the information about the arrangements on Friday. It will be virtually impossible to leave the city via Route 1 in the direction of Tel Aviv after lunchtime. For us that means Erev Shabbos, and anyone traveling out of the Holy city westwards for Shabbos needs to know what the plans are. As it is the potential for chillul Shabbos is far too great.
it is such a pity that this whole episode is tainted with such a complete disregard for halocho, kovod hameis and kedushas Shabbos. Leaving a meis without kevura for so many days, lying in state, covered in wreaths is complete chukas hagoy.
Disregard for those wishing to come to Eretz Yisrael in good time for Rosh Hashanah and those wishing to travel to or from Yerushalayim for Shabbos is so sad.
An eitza would have been that Shimon Peres should have been brought to kevura as soon after his petirah as possible and an explanation of our halochos given to the world leaders who wished to come. They could come later for, say, his sheloshim, after this had been explained to them.
I agree with taylors1454.
What a wasted opportunity to be Mikadesh shem shomayim birabim on the world stage. The world could of seen how a “Jewish” Nation follows what their God dictates and we don’t bend or change when it’s not convenient. Who are we trying to impress? Immoral Lowlife dreck from around the world? Bill Clinton? Prince Charles? Etc…They easily could of made the levaya on Thurday, the latest. What, Obama has to finish his golf game?
Am chofshi
I am far more in awe of the late Menachem Begin ZTKLLH’H who chose to have a Kevuroh ASAP after his death, and selected Har haZeisim next to those 3 Irgun prisoners who blew themselves up ahead of an execution the next morning by the British Mandate, instead of awaiting pomp & fare, and going onto Har Herzl.
I’m a little older than the owners of this site. My memories of Peres are far from pleasant. I would tone down the impression that he was some kind of a tsaddik if I were the YW editors. The truth is quite the opposite!!!
I’m surprised at all you commentators: I suggest you read up on appropriate behavior & speech (in this case, via the internet) regarding an unburied meis.
Although I am far from zionism and being any sort of fan of Shimon Peres, there are persistent rumors being floated over the past 24 hrs. that Peres was instrumental in arranging the army deferment for the bnei hayeshivos back in 1950 or so. Of course, the gedolei Torah were the prime movers in this, but the govt. did not *have* to agree to the deferment. If it’s true that Peres had a hand in this, so 66 years of limud Torah multiplied by thousands upon thousands of bochurim and yungerleit. This amounts to a massive universe of Torah learning that he might have facilitated. This is nothing to sneeze at. Leave final judgment to the Aibershter.