Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is expected to speak and major Israeli pop stars will add to the draw. One youth group that gives seminars on Rabin has buses lined up to bring 8,000 kids. He was tough and pragmatic. But, Rabin's pragmatism led him toward the peace process. He did not envision rosy pictures of peace and goodwill among neighbors, but he thought Israel's future was either one of continued war or a risky peace.
Peace entails difficulties, even pain.
For Israel there is no path devoid of pain. The violent backdrop to this year's anniversary has some giving up hope in the peace process, however. Eitan Haber, former chief of staff under Rabin, said the country has not been in such distress since shortly before the 1967 war, when Israelis were convinced their young country was on the verge of a catastrophic Arab attack. The country does not face anything like the same danger it did in 1967, but many have concluded that peace holds no hope. Haber and other Rabin supporters, however, say that doubters of the peace process will come back to it, hope or no hope, because there is no alternative.