An official state ceremony honoring those who fell during the Second Lebanon War got underway Monday evening at Jerusalem's Mt. Herzl military cemetery. Political and military leaders, with the glaring exception of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, addressed the gathered mourners and VIPs. During the war, 119 soldiers and 36 civilians were killed by Hizbullah terrorist forces.
"On this first year anniversary of the Second Lebanon War, the IDF stands, teary-eyed, and remembers the fallen of that war," IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said in his address at the ceremony. "It is our duty to act in order to see all the captive and missing IDF soldiers back home." He also added words of admiration for the wounded soldiers, saying, "The determination and persistence of the recovering IDF soldiers is a heroic example for us."
In his comments, General Ashkenazi reminded the nation that the war was launched "by the Israeli government in order to defend Israel's citizens and restore calm to [Israel's] northern border." He acknowledged that the war was fought in Israel's towns and cities, as enemy rockets fell throughout the north of the country; however, "The steadfastness of the citizens of Israel gave our fighters a strong tailwind, as well." 
During the war, 119 soldiers and 36 civilians were killed by Hizbullah terrorist forces.
Also taking part in the ceremony was Lieutenant Asael Lubotzky, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade who was injured during the war when a team under his command was hit with an anti-tank missile near Bint J'beil. In the initial attack and the ensuing firefight with Hizbullah terrorists, eight soldiers lost their lives.
Lubotzky commented to Arutz Sheva, "I am sad, on the one hand, but I am also strengthened. I was seriously injured, but, thank God, I came out alive from that war. I see the bereaved families going through the pain and suffering of losing their sons every day, every hour. I admire them and that gives me strength to continue forward."
During the Monday evening ceremony, the traditional Kaddish prayer was recited by Yisrael Kausner, whose son Ohad was killed in Bint J'beil. The widow of fallen officer Yaron Amitai, Merav, lit a memorial candle for the fallen.
In addition to the IDF Chief of Staff, Acting President Dalia Itzik and Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke during the ceremony. Also in attendance were opposition Likud party leader Binyamin Netanyahu, State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss, former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, who resigned in the wake of the war, and other public figures.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, however, did not attend. The reason for his absence, as given by the Prime Minister's Office, was that Olmert wanted to spare the bereaved families the added security hassles that would have accompanied his attendance.
Yet, former IDF officer former Tafnit party leader Uzi Dayan charged Monday afternoon that Prime Minister Olmert is simply not able to face the results of the Second Lebanon War, which he launched and led.
In her comments at the ceremony, Acting President Itzik offered her own words of criticism for Olmert. "During the war, I called on the Prime Minister to form an emergency national unity government, but he chose to ignore my call. A united leadership is more suitable, in my opinion, for times of emergency. It is still not too late [for establishing such a government]." She also cited "errors", "mistakes" and "failures" in how the war was run and how decisions were made.
Itzik called the summer of 2006 "sad," a time when "Israeli citizens were in a state of helplessness, and went through painful experiences." The Second Lebanon War, she said, "will be remembered as the war in which the State of Israel sobered up and, for this, was called upon to pay a heavy, unbearable price."
Ehud Barak, in his first speech as Defense Minister in the Olmert government, noted that Israel has been fighting for its independence for 60 years. "It has been decreed that our generation must draw forth the strength and continue to take action. It is important to restore the IDF's deterrence and to return its fighting spirit, because there is no other way," Barak declared. "The sword is ready in our hand and our eyes are open and sober, looking to the horizon of peace."
During the course of the day on Monday, bereaved families took part in a "March of Life" that began in Kfar Giladi and continued along various routes hit by missiles during the war. The march culminated in Jerusalem. Kfar Giladi was selected as a starting point because it was the site of a particularly deadly missile strike that resulted in the death of several reservists.
Monday was the Hebrew calendar date of the start of the Second Lebanon War; however, other ceremonies are planned for July 12, the date the war began according to the Gregorian calendar. The war was precipitated by Hizbullah cross-border operations in which terrorist forces kidnapped two IDF soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, and killed eight of their comrades.