▁mem orial ▁day ▁observ ance ▁distinct ▁from ▁the ▁fest ive ▁celebr ations ▁of ▁national ▁independence . ▁In ▁response , ▁and ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁public ▁debate ▁on ▁the ▁issue , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁David ▁Ben - G ur ion ▁– ▁also ▁serving ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Def ense ▁– ▁established ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁the ▁" Public ▁Council ▁for ▁Sold iers ' ▁Comm em oration ". ▁This ▁council ▁recommended ▁establish ing ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁of ▁I yy ar , ▁the ▁day ▁preceding ▁Independ ence ▁Day , ▁as ▁the ▁" General ▁Memorial ▁Day ▁for ▁the ▁Hero es ▁of ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ". ▁This ▁proposal ▁won ▁government ▁appro val ▁that ▁same ▁year . ▁ ▁Observ ance ▁Y om ▁Ha Z ik aron ▁is ▁the ▁national ▁rem emb rance ▁day ▁observed ▁in ▁Israel ▁for ▁all ▁Isra eli ▁military ▁personnel ▁who ▁lost ▁their ▁lives ▁in ▁the ▁struggle ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Israel ▁and ▁for ▁those ▁who ▁have ▁been ▁killed ▁subsequently ▁while ▁on ▁active ▁duty ▁in ▁Israel ' s ▁armed ▁forces . ▁As ▁of ▁Y om ▁Ha Z ik aron ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁that ▁number ▁was ▁ 2 3 , 7 4 1 . ▁ ▁Pre ced ing ▁evening ▁The ▁day ▁opens ▁with ▁a ▁sir en ▁the ▁preceding ▁evening ▁at ▁ 2 0 : 0 0 ▁( 8 : 0 0   pm ), ▁given ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁Heb rew ▁calendar ▁system , ▁a ▁day ▁begins ▁at ▁sun set . ▁The ▁sir en ▁is ▁heard ▁all ▁over