From the Liveblog of
Monday, July 6, 2015
PM mourns Operation Protective Edge fallen, sends warning to Israel’s enemies
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GooglePrime Minister Netanyahu says at the ceremony to mark one year since Operation Protective Edge that “Hamas was beaten the worst ever since its establishment. We are closely monitoring occurrences in the south and are prepared to act with force when necessary.
“I say to all enemies of Israel — Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and the Islamic State, too — whoever tries to harm us, their blood is upon their heads,” he adds.
Netanyahu then quotes from the Lament of David (2 Samuel, 1), a biblical text also recited during Memorial Day ceremonies: “The bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.”
Netanyahu also says his government will not spare “any effort” to bring home the bodies of Shaul Oron and Hadar Goldin, two soldiers who fell in battle and whose remains are held by Hamas. He also speaks of Daniel Tragerman, a toddler who was killed by the mortar shell at the end of the war.
“There is no end to our yearning, there is no limit to our pride. May the memory of our soldiers, of our sons, the heroes of Israel, and of our citizens, from the toddler, 4-year-old Daniel, to the eldest — may their memory forever be cherished by the heart of the nation,” he concludes.
After the ceremony, the prime minister and his wife, Sara, remain for 20 minutes at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl, speaking to families who lost loved ones during the campaign. According to Ynet, the prime minister’s security guards allow the crowd to come near him, something that rarely occurs.
One of those who approaches the prime minister is Ella Bar, the girlfriend of Paz Eliyahu, who died in a battle inside the Gaza Strip. She talks with Netanyahu about the issue of girlfriends of fallen soldiers, who are not recognized by the Defense Ministry as part of Israel’s community of the bereaved.
Netanyahu and his wife say they will examine the issue and check whether the existing situation can be changed. The prime minister instructs one of his aides to note down Bar’s request.
Speaking later to Ynet, Bar says: “I thank the prime minister for mentioning the partners of the fallen in his speech. I think more can be done on this, but I was moved to hear this mention as a kind of recognition of us, the girlfriends.”
Asked by another person how he feels a year after the battles, Netanyahu answers: “I think we achieved something great.”
The Times of Israel Community.