President Reuven Rivlin spoke on Friday at a memorial for former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon which was held near the Sycamore Ranch in the western Negev.
"This was a man who gave himself another chance every time," Rivlin said at the ceremony. "They eulogized him, buried him, foretold the end. He always rose like a phoenix and continued to make his mark almost everywhere."
"A leader, a warrior and a brave commander who was ready to sacrifice his all for his country and for the Jewish people. 'I am a Jew first and foremost', he always boasted. Arik's life story is woven in the history of the country. Like the country, his life story was written with his sweat, effort and blood," added Rivlin.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)