Israel considering building memorial for Egyptian soldiers killed in the 1967 war

Israel’s Kan channel reported that Israel is considering building a memorial for the Egyptian commando fighters who were burned and buried in a mass grave near the city of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War, known as “The Setback”, in a gesture aimed at improving the strained relations between the two sides.

The channel, part of the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, said in its main bulletin, Monday, that relations between Cairo and Tel Aviv have become tense after it was revealed that the Israeli army burned Egyptian Commandos alive and buried them in an unmarked mass grave near Jerusalem during the war, 55 years ago.

It added, “Israel is considering erecting a monument to the Egyptian Commandos on its territory, after this issue angered Cairo. During the first conversation between the outgoing Israeli Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi asked for clarifications on this issue.”

“In response, Lapid assigned his military secretary to study the issue in depth. After recent discussions, Israel indicated that it was ready to positively consider the establishment of a memorial,” it said.

OPINION: Between victory and defeat in the October War

An Egyptian delegation is expected to arrive in Israel next week to find out what the Israeli side has decided, according to the same source.

Last July, Israeli media revealed that the Israeli army burned about 20 Egyptian fighters from the Special Forces (Commandos), alive during the 1967 war, and were burned in an unmarked mass grave in Jerusalem, in violation of the laws of war. Their deaths were not announced.

This issue caused a crisis in the relations between the two sides, prompting Tel Aviv to send delegations more than once to Cairo, in order to put an end to the tension.