Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat
Jerusalem mayor Nir BarkatHadas Parush/Flash90

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat sent an urgent letter to Culture Minister Miri Regev, calling on her to work together with him to prevent a joint memorial service for killed IDF soldiers and “Palestinians,” to be held in the "Barbur" gallery in Jerusalem.

The gallery operates in the Jerusalem Municipality building and enjoys the budgets of the Ministry of Culture.

"I was disappointed to read that the Barbur gallery, which operates in the heart of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is preparing to hold a provocative event on the eve of Memorial Day for fallen IDF soldiers, during which the memories of both fallen IDF heroes and terrorists will be commemorated."

According to Barkat, such an event provokes anger and feelings of distress among bereaved families and large segments of Jerusalem and the entire country.

"In order to add fuel to the fire, the organizers at the Barbur Gallery chose to illegally hold the event in a municipal building," the mayor of Jerusalem emphasized in his letter to Regev. "I appeal to you to join hands and to do everything possible by legal means and in accordance with our authority to stop this disgrace.

"It is a moral duty not only for us, but also for many bereaved families, for whom the matter harms the memory of their loved ones, IDF soldiers and victims of terror. I have instructed the professional authorities in the municipality to act within the framework of the legal process that we have already begun to evict the property, to turn immediately to the court and ask to prevent this event from being held.”

In light of the media reports that the Ministry of Culture had increased budgetary support for the Barbur Gallery, Barkat added in his letter, "I appeal to you to instruct the professionals in your ministry to cancel their decision to increase the budget of the Culture Ministry for the Barbur Gallery, and even to consider cancelling it completely."