From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 16, 2025
President rails against resurgent polarization at October 7 memorial
Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Speaking at the official October 7 Remembrance Day ceremony at the Mount Herzl military cemetery, President Isaac Herzog calls for national unity in honor of the soldiers who fell during the Hamas-led massacre two years ago and the subsequent war in Gaza.
The president begins by expressing gratitude to the parents of the fallen soldiers, telling them, “Thank you for the sons you raised — valiant soldiers who did not hesitate to go forth to save Israel, to defeat the enemy, and to bring back the hostages. Soldiers who carried pictures of the hostages in their pockets, and courage in their hearts.”
He adds, “It is no coincidence that United States President Donald Trump, in his [Monday] address to the Knesset, made a point of thanking the soldiers of the IDF, praising their heroism and their contribution to the historic turning point now unfolding.”
He notes that, with the return of the final living hostages in Gaza on Monday under Trump’s ceasefire plan and the ongoing return of the remaining deceased hostages, “these days are of immense historical and emotional weight — filled both with relief and with the deepest pain and sorrow.”
He adds, though, that “the mission is not complete,” apparently referring to the bodies of 19 hostages remaining in the Strip.
“We must act, by every means and through every channel at our disposal, until every one of the fallen and the hostages — down to the very last — is brought home,” he declares.
Turning to address what comes next as the war winds down, Herzog calls for national unity: “After two years of war, we must begin to create a horizon for the future – a ‘day after’ — both inwardly and outwardly.”
“It horrifies me to see and hear that even now, as we continue to bury our dead, the spirit of division, polarization, and hatred once again raises its ugly head,” he says. “And when we do not surrender to the extremists and the agitators among us – when we choose to unite around a shared flag and a common purpose – there is no task we cannot achieve.”
“The heroism and nobility of the sons and daughters who fell in the heavy battles of these past two years will forever be a source of strength and resilience for us. In the darkness of these days, we will salute them and walk in their light — in their memory, in their honor, for their sake, and for ours,” he says.
The Times of Israel Community.