And Only for Alon There Was No Room

The High Court of Justice rejected the petition of Alon Shmeriz's parents to recognize him as a fallen IDF soldier, ruling that he did not actually report for reserve duty. Shmeriz was abducted to Gaza on October 7, escaped from Hamas captivity, and was mistakenly killed by IDF fire. The column criticizes the court's selective formalism and calls on the Knesset to enact a private law recognizing him.

The High Court of Justice rejected the petition of Alon Shmeriz's parents to recognize him as a fallen IDF soldier, ruling that he did not actually report for reserve duty. Shmeriz was abducted to Gaza on October 7, escaped from Hamas captivity along with two other hostages, and wandered among the ruins of Shuja'iyya until he was mistakenly killed by IDF fire. Justice Mintz ruled that due to the circumstances of the abduction, he did not report for duty, and Justices Grosskopf and Vilner expressed regret that they could not do justice to his memory. The column criticizes the court's selective formalism, which is willing to interpret the law flexibly in political petitions but clings to the letter of the law specifically in this case. The author calls on the Knesset to enact a private law recognizing Shmeriz as a fallen IDF soldier, similar to personal laws common in the US and other countries.

And Only for Alon There Was No Room