Lapid at Shaked Base
Lapid at Shaked Baseצילום: עמוס בן גרשום/ לע"מ

Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Sunday visited the Border Police Menashe Brigade at the Shaked Base.

Also participating in the visit were Public Security Minister Omer Barlev, Israel Police Inspector General Yaakov Shabtai, Border Police Commander Amir Cohen, Prime Minister's Military Secretary Maj.-Gen. Avi Gil, Border Police Judea and Samaria Commander Jehaz Hassan and Border Police Menashe Brigade Commander Salman Avida.

Prime Minister Lapid spoke with the Border Police officers who told him about their daily routine in the area, and on their deployment at the base ahead of the Rosh Hashana holiday. The Prime Minister thanked them on behalf of the people of Israel and noted that it was thanks to them that the citizens of Israel can celebrate the holiday safely and quietly.

"There are many people in the State of Israel who do not know – and will never know – they are alive thanks to you," Lapid said. "They will go about their lives, meet their families tonight, kiss their kids, dip some apple in honey, and that whole time – they will not know they are alive because of the people sitting here."

"Your job and our job is to guard against awful things, and you do so faithfully, for the right reasons, out of a sense of purpose. I told myself that I cannot celebrate the holiday with my family before I go and thank the people who will not spend the holidays with their families, as they are protecting us all."

"The expression 'holy work' is about what you are doing. I am not here only on my behalf, the Minister and the Police Commissioner are not here merely on their own behalf: We are here on behalf of all the people of Israel."

"We always know about and are aware of the work you are doing. I also want to add something else, for going forward and in your roles – take care of yourselves. When two soldiers are killed, an entire nation holds it breathe. Look after one another and yourselves: This is also the ethos of the Border Police."

"I thank you, and I am very happy I had the opportunity to say thank you before the start of the holiday. May we all have a good and quiet year, and if it is good and quiet, it’s thanks to you."