ISRAEL marked its Memorial Day today against the backdrop of some of the deepest political divisions in its history and escalating violence against the Palestinians.

Memorial Day honours the country’s war dead and victims of attack.

But this year, it comes as Israeli troops and settlers have scaled up their attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. 

Some 95 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank this year while 19 Israelis lost their lives during the same period.

On the eve of Memorial Day, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man in a West Bank raid and several people were wounded when a Palestinian reportedly rammed his car into pedestrians near a busy Jerusalem market.

Israel has fought half a dozen wars with neighbouring Arab countries, as well as two Palestinian uprisings against the occupation. It has also carried out a series of regular air strikes against neighbouring Syria during the last year.

The solemn occasion is typically a moment of national unity among Israelis, but this year’s remembrance was tainted by deep divisions within Israel over a contentious plan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to overhaul the judiciary. 

Mr Netanyahu paused the overhaul push after weeks of massive protests that shut down highways, sparked a short general strike and spooked investors. 

The plan would give Mr Netanyahu’s government, the most right-wing in Israeli history, power to overturn court decisions and appoint judges.