Netanyahu mourns late minister Uri Orbach

“Until just a few hours ago we stood near Uri’s bed and I repeated the prayer with which I opened the meeting of the cabinet this morning: that God may give strength to our friend who is fighting for his life,” says Prime Minister Netanyahu at Uri Orbach’s funeral.

“I want to tell you Michal, and the other members of the family: your pain is our pain, your suffering is our suffering,” the PM says, addressing the wife and children of the late minister.

“He was talented, winning the hearts of all those around him. He was a writer, a journalist, a true man of letters – and, this I didn’t know – a man of actions,” Netanyahu says, referring to Orbach’s work as a minister.

“Uri will be missed by all the people of Israel. Uri had a unique way, others liked him but he never achieved this with cheap sycophancy. Uri’s humor was unique. During government meetings I called him “the witty minister.” But despite the wit, there was not one iota of meanness in him.

“Uri proved there was no problem in mixing Jewishness and Zionism. His politics was never a politics of swearing: he was always polite, well-spoken and tolerant.

“I must emphasize that throughout most of his disease Uri continued to come to government meetings. He did not always speak, and usually waited for the end of the session to say what he had, but when he did – his words were always precise and to the point. He lived by the rule that my father, may his memory be blessed, told me once: Either say something new, or say something old in a new way.

“Uri lived by this rule. I never heard him say anything which just ‘fits a pattern.’ He always had some originality in his words.

“His words will continue to echo. His actions will continue to light our way. May your memory be blessed, may your soul be cherished in the bond of life.”