At 8 p.m. Monday night, mourning will be replaced with joy, flags will return to full mast, and Israel will celebrate its 65th Independence Day with fireworks and performances throughout the country. On the eve of Israel's 65th birthday, the country's population stands at 8,018,000, of which 6.042 million (75.3 percent) are Jews, 1.658 million (20.7%) are Arabs, and 318,000 are residents of different backgrounds. Israel's capital Jerusalem is the country's largest city, with 804,400 residents, with Tel Aviv in second place at 404,800.
Over the past year the number of babies born in Israel reached an all time high, 170,606. Some 19,500 new immigrants arrived in the country. "Sabras," or Israeli-born citizens, constitute the majority of the population 70% in contrast to 1948 when they only made up 35%. More than half of Sabras are at least second-generation Israeli citizens, including many who are third- and fourth-generation Israelis.
In 1948 there was only one city with more than 100,000 inhabitants Tel Aviv. Today, in 2013, Israel has 14 such cities.
A torch-lighting ceremony will be held at Mount Herzl on Monday night, and will mark the transition from Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Memorial Day to Israel's 65th Independence Day. This year's theme is "The Year of National Legacy strengthening, passing on and preserving national cultural assets for the coming generations."
As part of the Independence Day celebrations, IDF jets will hold a flyover across Israel's skies as a tribute to the country and its citizens. The formation will be seen between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and will comprise fighter jets and cargo aircraft, as well as helicopters of the Israel Air Force. Three F-16 Falcons will fly over southern Israel between noon and 12:30 p.m. The IAF's aerial acrobatic squadron will showcase their abilities throughout the country. At 8:45 a.m. a helicopter formation will fly over the President's Residence.
Video: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address for Independence Day
As they do every year, a few select IDF bases from the armored corps, air force and navy will open their gates to the Israel public. The bases will exhibit displays of their military hardware.
During Memorial Day and Independence Day, the IDF's crossings in Judea and Samaria will be closed, except for humanitarian cases. Israel Police is on high alert and is deploying officers and volunteers to deal with potential disturbances.
President Shimon Peres will host the main Independence Day celebration at his residence in Jerusalem on Tuesday. The event will begin with the traditional ceremony recognizing outstanding soldiers and will continue with the "Singing Independence" event, which in itself has become a tradition, and will include participation by members of the diplomatic-security cabinet. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz and the generals of the IDF's General Staff will be in attendance.
The ceremony will start off with a large-scale flyover by IAF fighter jets and helicopters, as a salute to the 120 outstanding soldiers, who represent all branches of the army. In the afternoon, representatives from the various diplomatic and consulate posts in Israel will arrive at the compound to congratulate the president on Israel's 65th Independence Day.
And the weather on Israel's birthday? Not so cooperative. Tuesday is expected to be rainy, windy and colder than usual. Temperatures are expected to drop Monday night and northern Israel will likely see rain overnight. The rain clouds are expected to arrive in central Israel Tuesday morning, and may potentially ruin the plans of the many families wanting to hold traditional Independence Day barbecues.