Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely represented the Government of Israel at the memorial ceremony at the military cemetery in Rehovot.
In her speech, the Deputy Minister referred to the cease-fire in the south and said, "Jewish tradition distinguishes between an optional war and an obligatory war; we have no wars of choice over this land, only necessary wars, wars that we wage when there's no choice.
"The lives of our soldiers are dear to us, and it's the duty of the leadership to prevent the shedding of unnecessary blood of soldiers, when the same result can be achieved without harm to human life."