Israeli military orders family of deceased soldier to eliminate cross from tombstone
Officials assert that the religious symbol on the gravestone is offensive to the family members of Jewish soldiers buried in the vicinity. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Officials have indicated that the presence of the symbol in the cemetery is offensive to the relatives of Jewish soldiers interred nearby.
The Israel Defense Forces have threatened to rebury a deceased Christian soldier unless his family complies with a request to remove a cross from his gravestone, according to statements made by the man's relatives to local media. David Bogdanovsky, originally from Ukraine, moved to Israel in 2014 and lost his life to an anti-tank rocket in Gaza last December.
On Monday, Bogdanovsky’s family reported that they received a letter from the Defense Ministry insisting on the removal of the cross or facing the reinterment of the staff sergeant’s remains outside the Haifa military cemetery.
"By law, it is not permissible to place a cross or any other religious marker on a military headstone," the ministry stated. The correspondence reportedly referenced a decision from the IDF’s chief rabbi, claiming that the sanctity of the Jewish cemetery is compromised by the existence of the cross.
Military representatives also stated they had received grievances from “families whose loved ones are buried nearby [and] who claim that the cross hurts their feelings and their ability to pray.”
Bogdanovsky’s mother recounted to Ynet that during her visit to her son’s grave earlier this month, she found the gravestone draped in black cloth.
“I don’t have words to describe the humiliation I felt,” she said to reporters.
“I thought that my David, who gave his life to the country, who loved the country with all his heart… is no different than any of the other guys, [and] is not a second-class citizen. I stood there and cried with anger, frustration, and disbelief,” she reflected.
In a Facebook post, the soldier’s mother emphasized that her late son’s faith was an “integral part” of his identity. She expressed her astonishment at her son being singled out, pointing out that there are other graves with crosses in the cemetery.
Although graves are typically segregated by religion in Israel, a specific law permits the burial of non-Jewish service members 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 population.
Israel commenced its military operation in Gaza following a deadly incursion by Hamas militants into Israeli territory in October 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,100 deaths and over 200 hostages taken. According to health authorities in the Palestinian enclave, nearly 42,000 individuals have died in Gaza as a result of a year of intense Israeli aerial bombardment and ground offensives.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
The Israel Defense Forces have threatened to rebury a deceased Christian soldier unless his family complies with a request to remove a cross from his gravestone, according to statements made by the man's relatives to local media. David Bogdanovsky, originally from Ukraine, moved to Israel in 2014 and lost his life to an anti-tank rocket in Gaza last December.
On Monday, Bogdanovsky’s family reported that they received a letter from the Defense Ministry insisting on the removal of the cross or facing the reinterment of the staff sergeant’s remains outside the Haifa military cemetery.
"By law, it is not permissible to place a cross or any other religious marker on a military headstone," the ministry stated. The correspondence reportedly referenced a decision from the IDF’s chief rabbi, claiming that the sanctity of the Jewish cemetery is compromised by the existence of the cross.
Military representatives also stated they had received grievances from “families whose loved ones are buried nearby [and] who claim that the cross hurts their feelings and their ability to pray.”
Bogdanovsky’s mother recounted to Ynet that during her visit to her son’s grave earlier this month, she found the gravestone draped in black cloth.
“I don’t have words to describe the humiliation I felt,” she said to reporters.
“I thought that my David, who gave his life to the country, who loved the country with all his heart… is no different than any of the other guys, [and] is not a second-class citizen. I stood there and cried with anger, frustration, and disbelief,” she reflected.
In a Facebook post, the soldier’s mother emphasized that her late son’s faith was an “integral part” of his identity. She expressed her astonishment at her son being singled out, pointing out that there are other graves with crosses in the cemetery.
Although graves are typically segregated by religion in Israel, a specific law permits the burial of non-Jewish service members 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 population.
Israel commenced its military operation in Gaza following a deadly incursion by Hamas militants into Israeli territory in October 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,100 deaths and over 200 hostages taken. According to health authorities in the Palestinian enclave, nearly 42,000 individuals have died in Gaza as a result of a year of intense Israeli aerial bombardment and ground offensives.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
