Shaar’s father, mother pay respects to only son

The parents of Gil-ad Shaar pay respects to their son, one of seven children, at his funeral in Talmon.

His father speaks tearfully, with some difficulty.

“The murderous kidnappers thought they would weaken us, but we won’t be weakened,” he says. “I ask for your forgiveness. Forgive me, my beloved son, if I ever erred or hurt you.”

Addressing both his son and the two companions with whom he died, he says, “I believe many generations will grow up hearing of you, will tell your life story and will be shocked at your deaths.”

His mother, Bat-Galim, is more collected than her husband, but still visibly emotional as she describes her son as “a brave, resourceful, proud Jewish boy.” She says he has always been mature, taking on responsibility at school, in his youth group and among his friends.

“You can be proud of your brother,” she tells his sisters.

“Now we must give back the deposit, Gil-ad,” she says. She adds that the teen’s life was “so short that he didn’t have time, we didn’t have time…,” and trails off.