More than 90% of residents along the Gaza border support legislation—titled the Memory of the Massacre and Commemoration of Heroism Law—designed to institutionalize remembrance and honor the heritage of the events of October 7, a poll released Tuesday by the “Future for the OTEF” movement found.
The survey canvassed over 1,300 respondents, the majority of whom are local residents. It revealed widespread public backing for enshrining remembrance and commemoration through law, coupled with a strong expectation that affected communities play a decisive role in shaping how this memory is preserved.
In addition, 71% of respondents favor establishing a permanent mechanism for public participation, mandating the involvement of residents, families, survivors, and community representatives in the legislative process.
The poll also showed that 79.2% believe decisions about preserving, repairing, or demolishing buildings damaged on October 7 should be led by local residents or made with their active participation.
Meanwhile, 85.2% prefer that commemoration initiatives and educational tours within the Gaza envelope be led by, or include, local residents, and 89.4% think the events of October 7 should be integrated into Israel’s education system and national curriculum in the coming years.
Additionally, 77.8% place particular importance on documenting and preserving testimonies, documents, and historical materials, compared with 51.3% who support the broader goal of passing down heritage and heroism to future generations.
The “Future for the OTEF” movement calls for the proposed law to establish a dedicated core budget, enforce mandatory transparency—including publication of minutes and annual public reports—and create professional subcommittees in education, heritage, documentation, commemoration sites, and public participation. It also demands a special majority requirement for key decisions related to memorial sites, museums, and other aspects of shaping collective memory.
“The data clearly shows that residents of the Gaza envelope want a state commemoration law for October 7,” said Ohad Cohen, CEO of the “Future for the OTEF” movement. “But they insist the national narrative not be shaped without the communities that endured the greatest losses. Our aim is not to delay the law—in fact, we want to expedite it.”
“Achieving this requires a permanent budget, transparency, professional subcommittees, public participation mechanisms, and responsible decision‑making in substantive matters,” Cohen added.
Also Read
- Pentagon Leverages Defense Production Act to Coordinate Munitions Production
- Stocks Indexes Finish Mostly Lower as Chipmakers Retreat
- ‘Warning fire went up’: Couple on board yacht describe encounter with Russian warship
- Toronto Police Chief Warns of Youth-Driven Shootings Targeting Jewish Sites and U.S. Embassies