Despite unseasonably cloudy skies over parts of the country, Israelis celebrated the country's 67th year of independence on Thursday.

Israel began celebrating on Wednesday night with a torch-lighting ceremony at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl military cemetery, which marked the transition from the mourning of Memorial Day to the festivities of Independence Day.

"When we see the countries around us, we see the extent to which Israel is unusual in its vibrant democracy and equal rights for all its citizens," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in recorded comments broadcast at the beginning of the ceremony.

Moments after Netanyahu lauded Israel's democracy, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein advised critics of the Israeli government to curb their speech in an address to the crowd.

In an only slightly veiled jab at left-wing criticism of the state, Edelstein said: "I call on all of us: Let's watch our language." Edelstein then lit the first torch of the ceremony, dedicating it to figures including convicted U.S. spy Jonathan Pollard, who is serving a life term in a U.S. jail, and added: "Freedom of speech – yes, freedom of scorn – no."

Open gallery view People watch from a Tel Aviv beach as Israeli Air Force helicopters fly over the Mediterranean Sea, during Independence Day celebrations, April 23, 2015. Credit: Reuters

Lucy Aharish, the first Arab Muslim news anchor on Hebrew-language television in Israel, also participated in the ceremony. Aharish was the first of 14 Israelis selected to light a torch Wednesday night. Speaking in Hebrew and then Arabic, Aharish dedicated her torch to "Mizrahim and Ashkenazim, the religious and the secular, the Arabs and the Jews."

But one of the MCs at the event introduced Aharish with a statement that seemed to imply that Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs are enemy nations.

Open gallery view Israel's 67th Independence Day ceremony, April 22, 2014. Credit: Emil Salman

The MC, Israeli actress Rama Messinger, introduced her by citing the biblical prophecy about a wolf lying down with a lamb, implying that Aharish serves as a bridge between two bitter enemies.

The choice of Aharish had previously sparked some criticism, both from those who say she isn't loyal enough to the state and those who say she is agreeing to be the token Arab in the ceremony.

Daniel Gold, who invented the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system "after almost three years without sleep," as he said at the ceremony, also lit a torch.

The ceremony also honored one of the founders of navigation app Waze, Ehud Shabtai, and Rami Levy, who founded an eponymous discount supermarket chain.

Population grows by 2 percent

Israel's population has grown by 2 percent since last year, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported ahead of Independence Day.

Three-quarters of the 8.35 million Israelis are Jewish and 21 percent are Arab.

The population grew by 162,000 people, with the death rate (44,000 people) offset by births (176,000) and the 32,000 people who moved to Israel since Independence Day last year.

Three-quarters of Israel's Jewish population was born in the country and are known as sabras, and over half of them are second-generation Israelis – a sharp rise from 1948, the year the state was founded, when sabras constituted 35 percent of the population.

Open gallery view Lucy Aharish lights the Independence Day torch. Credit: Emil Salman

At that time, Tel Aviv-Jaffa was the only city in Israel with more than 100,000 residents. Today there are 14 Israeli cities that boast over 100,000 residents, including six with more than 200,000: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Haifa, Rishon Letzion, Ashdod and Petah Tikvah.

Flyover schedule

Thursday's Independence Day festivities include multiple celebratory flyovers that can be seen from various parts of the country Thursday.

Open gallery view Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein addreses 67th Independence Day ceremony. Credit: Emil Salman

The Israel Defense Forces aerobatics team will fly over the Ramat David air force base near Migdal Ha'emek at 9:40 A.M., over the Tel Nof base at 11:55 A.M. and over the beaches of Tel Aviv at 12:10 P.M.

The team will fly over Jerusalem at 2 P.M.

The President’s Residence in Jerusalem will host a ceremony for 120 IDF soldiers and officers from various units receiving special presidential commendations.

Also Thursday, several military bases will be open to the public.

The IDF Armored Corps memorial at Latrun will be open from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.

The Israel Navy base at the Ashdod port will be open from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. and various ships, cruisers and submarines will be on display. The naval base in Eilat will hold a display at 1 P.M.

Entry into the Israel Air Force museum near Be’er Sheva will be free from 9 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. and will feature a flyover as well as aircraft exhibitions.

The Ramat David air force base will be open to the public Thursday from 9 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. and will hold a flyover as well as an exhibition of the air force’s various search-and-rescue craft. The air force base at Tel Nof, near Gedera, will be open from 9 to 2 P.M. and will host an exhibition of various aircraft.