Memorial ceremony at Mount Herzl, Jerusalem
Memorial ceremony at Mount Herzl, JerusalemYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

The annual ceremony for fallen soldiers of the IDF whose resting place is unknown was held on Tuesday morning on Mount Herzl. Among those in attendance were the President of the State of Israel Reuven Rivlin, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett (Yamina), and the Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud).

Speaking after the ceremony, MK Bennett said, "As long as I am in this role, I will not rest nor will I remain silent until all our fallen soldiers are brought to Jewish burial. This is my obligation, and all of us owe it to them."

In comments related to the two IDF soldiers captured and killed by the terror organization Hamas in 2014, Bennett stated: "The same applies to those soldiers held by Hamas. As Defense Minister, I am obligated to do my utmost in order to bring back Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul. We are using creative methods in our efforts to achieve this, acting with determination against a cruel enemy ... and putting immense pressure on them to return" the bodies of these two soldiers."

Referring to the recent election, Bennett noted that "the country has been through a difficult eighteen months. Our enemies might be tempted to interpret the bumps along the road that are part of Israeli democracy as signs of weakness, and decide to challenge us on our northern border, and on the border with Gaza. The army will continue to inflict damage on those who seek to harm us; the army will continue to stand guard over the citizens of Israel and to provide them with security. The strength of the IDF is measured not only by the range of its aircraft, but also by the faith in the hearts of its soldiers."

Echoing the words of the Defense Minister, President Rivlin stated: "It is the obligation of the State and of its leaders to do everything in their power for soldiers who did not return from battle. This is a moral obligation of the highest order, a Zionist and ethical principle that we must not forget."