Fact checkPoliticsPublished April 21, 2026
Media reports: “Avraham Zarbiv will light a torch at Israel's Independence Day ceremony.”. Our verdict: True.

The claim

“Avraham Zarbiv will light a torch at Israel's Independence Day ceremony.”

Media reportsNews reportApril 21, 2026Read the original

Coverage of Israel's 2026 Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony.

Our verdict

True

Zarbiv was one of the torchbearers at the 21 April 2026 ceremony on Mount Herzl.

What we found

Al Jazeera, NPR and JTA report that Zarbiv, a reservist known for demolishing buildings in Gaza, lit a torch at the national ceremony, which drew criticism. The claim is accurate.

The evidence

2 of 2 sources support the claim; none contradict it.

Contradict 0Support 2Background 0
  • Supports the claim

    Zarbiv was selected to light a torch at Israel's national celebration. [1]

  • Supports the claim

    NPR reports the Gaza war as a theme of the ceremony, including Zarbiv's selection. [2]

How we checked

We checked the claim against Al Jazeera, NPR. We reviewed 2 relevant sources.

Sources

  1. [1]Al Jazeera · Rabbi accused of war crimes selected for Israel's national celebration
  2. [2]NPR · The Gaza war is a major theme of Israel's Independence Day celebration

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