Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon saluted the courage of bereaved families during Memorial Day remarks at the Kiryat Shaul Cemetery in Tel Aviv. He noted that Israel is a peace-seeking nation that does not want to lose its children, but there are those who do not recognize the right of its people to a Jewish homeland and force it to respond with a fight to thwart their intentions. Referring to the Iranian nuclear threat among other changing challenges that demand a firm response, the former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces said there would be a price to pay for lack of immediate action.
Ya'alon told the bereaved families, "Through your courage, dear families, you are a symbol of the resilience of Israeli society, which passes the test, time and time again in the face of challenges it faces."