The state’s Yom HaZikaron memorial for the fallen soldiers of Israel’s wars began on Monday at 11:02 a.m. at the Har Herzl military cemetery after a two-minute silence.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said: “Everyone who fought for the defense of the country, everyone who crossed the border into enemy territory recognizes this light – the light of home that instills in us the deveikut of the goal. This is the light of 25,000 fallen ones of Israel’s wars that light our way. At the beginning of the current war that began with the terrible massacre, we knew countless acts of sacrifice, stories of heroism and expressions of mutual responsibility that will be remembered for generations.”
“In the IDF units,Israel Police’s standby units, Shin Bet, Fire and Rescue, and medical forces, and ordinary citizens – they all came out with courage to protect the home of all of us.”
“Our national home is standing, the country is standing – and it is standing due to them. But at the same time, the grief is terrible and heartbreaking. Dear families, our loved ones who fell in the battle and all of Israel’s battles – they represent eternal values. It’s either us, Israel – or them, the monsters of Hamas. It’s either our existence, freedom, security and prosperity – or massacre, rape and subjection.”
“We are determined to win this struggle. But the price we pay, the price paid by the generations before us, is very heavy. There is no balm – there is life, but the wound remains until the end of life. Our war of independence is not over yet, it continues during these days.”
“We are determined to win the fight. We exacted a heavy price from the enemy for its barbaric acts. We will realize all the goals of victory, especially the return of all our hostages home. The victory, b’ezrat Hashem, will guarantee our existence and our future.
“Is there a balm for the personal pain that cuts through the flesh? The real answer is no. There is no balm, there is life, but the wound remains until the end of life.”
“But is it possible to relieve the pain at the national level? The answer is yes. Guaranteeing the existence of the State of Israel, guaranteeing the eternity of Israel. With all the pain and sorrow, we changed the fate of our people with the establishment of the state and today the sword of David is in our hands and we are fighting our enemies back.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
“25,000 fallen ones of Israel’s wars….” terrible, I feel for each and everyone of them and their families. Does it include terror victims? How many more are permanently injured?
How much global antisemitism did it cause? How many Jews lost their lives in various Arab countries due to the establishment of the Zionist state?
How many Jews have been murdered in the years leading to the establishment of the Zionist state?
How many good Jews lost their heritage and religion due to the efforts of the Zionists?
How many Holocaust victims could have been saved if not for the Zionist opposition to the rescue efforts?
How many Sefardi and Teimany children have been abducted by the Zionists?
Was this a price worth to pay for a so called “Jewish State” which failed to protect its citizens from terror and massacre, to educate its children to be good Jews and to run a country worthy of the title “Jewish State”?!
@DavidtheKanoi. HKBH has brought and is bringing all Of Bnei Yisroel from the 4 corners of the earth into Eretz Yisroel. Anti semitism is nothing more than a wakeup call for Jews to reconnect with their true identity. The state of Israel is a gift to us from HKBH. As far as zionism goes that philosophy died long ago. Israel is about the survival of all Jews and we must do all we can to insure that which includes Torah learning and acts of chesed as those are the real weapons of the Jews. Nevertheless since we are on a low madrega we must also engage in a physical battle as well
@DavidtheKanoi
I can’t answer any of the questions you raise above but probably nobody else can either.
What I would say is that Bibi acts like a leader and I certainly hope that he can withstand the world pressure and even the Israeli politics that want to remove him from Power.
The Leftist Liar and Con Artist Netanyahu (and his approximately1,000,000 worshipers who are addicted to his smooth talking) is the Sole cause for the countless deaths happening. Instead of bombing the heck out of our enemies like any other nation would and ending this long ago, he sends hundreds of soldiers to die trying to search for terrorists one by one. His actions are the complete opposite of his claims to be a protector of Jews. Netanyahu is killing Jewish children en masse in order to save the lives of Arab children.