The Israeli military has requested the removal of a Christian headstone from a deceased soldier’s grave, sparking debates over religious representation in military cemeteries. Learn more about the situation and reactions from the public.
The family of a fallen Christian soldier reported to local media that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have threatened to rebury him unless they consent to taking down a cross from his headstone. David Bogdanovsky, who relocated from Ukraine to Israel in 2014, was killed by an anti-tank rocket in Gaza last December.
On Monday, Bogdanovsky’s family informed the media that they had received a letter from the Defense Ministry requiring them to remove the cross or face having the staff sergeant’s remains moved out of Haifa military cemetery.
“The ministry stated, ‘Legally, placing a cross or any religious symbol on a military headstone is not allowed.’ According to reports, the letter referenced a decision by the IDF’s chief rabbi indicating that having a cross in the Jewish cemetery compromises its sanctity.”
Military officials reportedly stated that they had received complaints from families with loved ones buried nearby, expressing that the cross affects their feelings and hinders their ability to pray.
During a visit to her son’s grave earlier this month, Bogdanovsky’s mother discovered that his gravestone was draped in black cloth, she told Ynet.
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“I can’t find the words to express how humiliated I felt,” the woman told reporters.
“I believed that my David, who sacrificed his life for the country and loved it wholeheartedly… is just as important as any of the other men and not a second-class citizen. I stood there overwhelmed with anger, frustration, and disbelief,” she said.
In a Facebook post, the soldier’s mother conveyed that her son’s faith was a “fundamental part” of who he was. She also voiced her astonishment at him being singled out, pointing out that there are other graves with crosses in the cemetery.
In Israel, although graveyards are usually divided by religion, a specific law permits non-Jewish service members to be buried alongside their Jewish counterparts in military cemeteries.
In late 2023, the Central Bureau of Statistics in Israel estimated that Christians made up 1.9% of the country’s population.
In response to a deadly attack by Hamas militants in October 2023, which resulted in the death of approximately 1,100 individuals and over 200 hostages being taken within Israeli territory, Israel initiated a military operation in Gaza. Palestinian health authorities report that after a year of intense aerial bombardment and ground offensives by Israel, nearly 42,000 people have died in Gaza.
