Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday held a traditional Passover toast with the IDF General Staff Forum.
"First, I would like to wish you all a happy and kosher – and, I hope, quiet – Passover. I would like to express my appreciation, to you Chief-of-Staff, personally, and to the entire chain of command, to all the soldiers, for your incredible, relentless daily effort for the security of Israel,” Netanyahu said.
“This effort is mostly, but not entirely, not familiar to the public, but it is familiar to me and I know how much it serves the security and every citizen in the State of Israel and our country as well, and for that you have our gratitude, our sincere and deep gratitude, and also for your commitment to the security of Israel. I think that it is important that these things be heard as clearly and cogently as possible.”
The Prime Minister noted that on the first night of Passover this week, Jews will sit around the Seder table and read: "In every generation, there are those who rise up to destroy us.”
“The appearance of Zionism and the restoration of Jewish sovereignty in the land of Israel has not prevented the appearance and rise of new enemies who want to rise up against us and destroy us,” he said. “There were those who thought that Zionism would lead to the disappearance of antisemitism destructive attacks against the Jews. This has not happened.”
He continued: “But those who read the fathers of Zionism know that they believed in one thing: Not that deadly antisemitism would disappear but that the Jews would restore their ability to defend themselves against this antisemitism. This is exactly what happened with the establishment of the State of Israel, with the establishment of the IDF and our security arms. This is the main thing that divides our history since the establishment of the State of Israel, and the generations that preceded it in which we were, in effect, defenseless.”
Netanyahu praised the IDF for representing all sectors of Israeli society and called for consensus.
“I do not forget for a moment, I am certain that you do not forget either, that our defensive force is based, first of all, on the people's army in which all parts of the nation are represented. Today, we have a debate between sections of the nation. I hope that we will resolve this argument with a broad consensus; I am doing my utmost to achieve this.”
He also issued a warning to Israel’s enemies: “But from here, I want to reiterate to the enemies of Israel that they should not err. No debate will prevent us from wielding the sword and shield to defend ourselves and repel any aggression by them in order to ensure the continuity of the Zionist enterprise.”
“I can tell you one thing: There is a limit to the number of miracles that history can grant a nation and the people of Israel has already received an extra portion of such miracles,” he added. “Therefore we only have one choice: To stand together, united. I say that together we will stand and together we will continue to be victorious. Happy holiday to all [of] you, happy holiday."