Memorial Day for the Fallen of Israel's Armed Forces: At eight o'clock, a siren sounded in memory of the IDF martyrs, and immediately afterwards the Memorial Day ceremony began at the Western Wall Plaza with the participation of President Shimon Peres and Chief of Staff Major General Benny Gantz.
Shimon Peres said that 67 years ago the UN decided to establish a Jewish state, but "it was not the declaration that established this wonderful state. It was established with the blood of its sons, with the sweat of its pioneers, with the vision of its prophets. Israel today is a strong state. A miracle in the eyes of the Jews, a wonder in the eyes of the Gentiles. We Israelis are not like all humans. For generations, sadness has not let up, even in times of joy. Our joy is always lacking. A cloud of sadness envelops us. It is deeply hidden, but it is visible from our eyes.".
Peres also said: "Every word the fallen left behind was a testament that says: to be as moral as the Ten Commandments." To the bereaved families, the president said that "as someone who was a partner in building the state, in its pain and achievements, I ask - despite the pain - to proudly display this magnificent creation called the State of Israel. The warriors and builders who established the state that was a wonder among the nations. The state that is the runway for a great future for future generations. The IDF, our beloved army. We still live by our swords. But we strive for peace with all our hearts. The battle is not over. We have not yet reached our goals.".
After him, Chief of Staff Raf Major General Benny Gantz spoke, telling the bereaved families: "Family members, I carry with me the shadow that appears in the eyes of a parent who has lost their most precious thing as a prayer, the prayer of the heart that seeks to hear that all our strength will return in peace, from now on and forever. Tonight, all that remains for us is to grieve together, to envelop you in our love, and to look together at the sources of hope and strength that remain here, on the soil of our country.".
The Chief of Staff remembered his friends and said: "As the sound of the siren pierces the mists of memory, I return to my friends, comrades and partners in the journey, who built Israel's security wall, stone by stone. I remember the sound of their laughter, their gaze, the contempt on their faces. I carry with me the determination and belief in the righteousness of their path. I remember them and look straight at those who continue their path - the IDF soldiers and their commanders, at our forces.".
Memorial Day events began earlier at Yad Labanim Square in Jerusalem, where the Prime Minister gave a speech and said, among other things: "The simplest and most concise truth is this: We would not be here if it were not for their sacrifice. We would not be here if it were not for their willingness to give up their lives so that we could be here. This right, this sacrifice, the ability to lay down their lives in the face of the horrors of war - none of this was in the hands of our people before the establishment of Israel.".
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