Independence Day celebrations hosted by President Shimon Peres at Beit Hanassi began on Tuesday as the president sang with pop star Miri Mesika. The celebrations will include an air force flyby and a ceremony in which the President's Prize for excellence will be distributed to 120 soldiers from different branches of the IDF.
A new Independence Day tradition, which began last year, will be kept up: The prime minister, defense minister and the chief of General Staff chose their favorite song to sing with the crowd at Beit Hanassi.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu chose the song "Jerusalem of Gold" in a duet with Kobi Aflalo and Defense Minister Ehud Barak chose the song "Here I am" in a duet with popular singer Harel Skaat.
The IAF and Navy will hold celebratory demonstrations in the air and the sea that can be seen along Israel's Mediterranean coast.
People throughout the country were expected to make their way to parks, forests and beaches across the country Tuesday morning to continue Independence Day celebrations which got underway on Monday night.
The abrupt transition from Remembrance Day to Independence Day was marked by the annual torch-lighting ceremony on the capital's Mount Herzl.