A rabbi filmed near fighting in Gaza will light Israel's Independence Day torch. Avraham Zarbiv, a 52-year-old state rabbinical court judge and army reservist, has drawn legal complaints and public protests at home and questions abroad.

The ceremony and its symbolism

On the eve of Israel's Independence Day, a dozen torches are lit above the tomb of Theodor Herzl to mark the transition from Memorial Day to national celebration. The ritual is widely watched in Israel. Being chosen to light a torch is seen by many Israelis as a high honor tied to the country's founding myths and modern identity.

Organizers select a cross-section of public figures each year, including soldiers, activists, artists and community leaders.

This year’s roster includes Avraham Zarbiv, a 52-year-old rabbi who is also a state rabbinical court judge and an army reservist. Zarbiv’s inclusion has turned a symbolic national moment into a flashpoint.

Why Zarbiv is controversial

Zarbiv first drew national attention in early 2024 after footage circulated showing him near combat in Gaza. Since then, he has published videos and sermons that many Israelis and international observers consider inflammatory. He has recorded himself taking part in demolitions and delivered religiously framed remarks from scenes damaged in combat, promising victory and the expansion of settlements.

Zarbiv has described himself in military terms: "I am one soldier among many, I am a soldier of the Givati Brigade," he said in a recent interview.

His language and actions have made him a polarizing figure inside Israel and a focus of criticism from rights groups. The Israeli group Kerem Navot, which monitors settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, filed a complaint with the country’s judicial watchdog after alleging Zarbiv built his home on land the group says is privately owned by Palestinians. Kerem Navot has said his actions may violate ethics rules for judges and for rabbinic judges.

Official distancing and the row over coordination

Israel’s military publicly moved to distance itself from Zarbiv’s ceremonial role. Military spokespeople said his selection for the torch-lighting was not coordinated with the army and that he would not represent the military at the ceremony, despite his reserve status.

Legal complaints and public protest followed the announcement. Kerem Navot’s filing asks the judicial watchdog to consider whether a judge alleged to occupy private land and who has publicly celebrated destruction should represent the state in a national ritual.

Domestic political fallout

The choice to give Zarbiv a public platform has deep domestic implications. For supporters on Israel’s political right, the selection is a vindication — a statement that religious-nationalist voices remain central to state ceremonies. For critics, the pick signals a normalization of extreme rhetoric and conduct by state-affiliated figures.

That divide runs through Israeli politics and public life; some commentators see the controversy as part of a broader cultural contest over the character of the state.

Why this matters

Torch-lighting is treated as a national honor with symbolic weight. Picking Zarbiv — a figure closely associated with the Gaza fighting and with controversial actions in the West Bank — highlights how Israeli state rituals have become a stage for wider political and cultural battles.

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Kerem Navot has filed a complaint with Israel’s judicial watchdog, which will now consider whether a judge accused of occupying private land and celebrating demolitions should represent the state in a national ritual.