Israel holds official state ceremony honoring victims of terrorism
Israel commemorates 4,255 victims of terrorism against the Jewish people
Israel's President Isaac Herzog pleaded for national unity, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded Israel's resiliency, as the two leaders addressed the state ceremony honoring victims of terrorism in Israel and abroad.
The second ceremony of the day to take place at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl cemetery was attended by bereaved families, Knesset members and government officials, Supreme Court Justices, security officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and Jewish leaders from abroad.
The program will include songs and the reading of psalms, and a wreath-laying. Representing bereaved families, there will be a speech from A.B. Mozes, the chairman of the Organization for Israel's Terrorism Victims, who lost his wife and a son in a 1987 terrorist attack.
"Every time we enter to offer comfort and to offer strength, we emerge strengthened," said President Herzog, "and every time I want to let out a loud and bitter cry for the pure and dear souls who went up to heaven in a whirlwind, in the same breath I want to cry out to the whole people of Israel, let us stop tearing ourselves apart from within, let us do everything to heal, to find solutions, to bridge the gulfs."
Addressing the local and international dignitaries, Netanyahu addressed the bereaved families, saying "I know the empty space left behind," referring to his brother and nephew who were killed in action, and later stated, "we are united, in mutual guarantee, together."
"We are motivated by life. And this mission requires us to fight back, and that is the great change that has come upon our nation, we are no longer helpless victims... We can overcome," said Netanyahu.
Concluding the ceremony, the president and prime minister laid wreaths, followed by other government officials, representatives of the bereaved families, and foreign leaders.
Netanyahu earlier addressed the ceremony honoring fallen soldiers, during which he said "in the spirit of heroism, we are able to build our country," and concluded, "this spirit of brotherhood, by laying to rest our brothers, we will then stand and continue our people generation after generation. Standing as brothers, we will commemorate those who were lost."