Minister Bezalel Smotrich, made a statement in memory of the fallen at the Eli Yeshiva today.
"I stand here in the place where you studied and where you drew from the springs of the Land of Israel's Torah. It charged you with the great spirit that led your self-sacrifice in the battlefield where you fell for the the nation in the Swords of Iron war. It is the eve of Memorial Day, and we are in awe and tremble before the sanctity of the day."
"You are the heroes of the nation, heavenly angels, now alongside God's throne in the highest and holiest place. You are the heroes of the nation to whom none can be compared. You are the heroes for whom the State of Israel will continue to build its revival, with God's help. You are the heroes who sacrificed your lives in the war forced upon us on that day when our enemies rose against us to destroy us, about a year and a half ago," Smotrich added.
He said that now the goal is to end the war by defeating Israel's enemies. "With God's help and the bravery of your comrades in arms who continue to fight even now, we will end this war with Syria dismantled, Hezbollah severely beaten, Iran stripped of nuclear threat, Gaza cleansed of Hamas, hundreds of thousands of Gazans on their way out to other countries, our captives returned, some to their homes and some to proper burial, and a stronger and more prosperous State of Israel. These are not the goals of one government or another. These are goals in the consensus of a life-loving people, this is the vision of the conclusion of a war forced upon us, this is what must be done against a cruel enemy, this is the legacy of hundreds and thousands of our soldiers."
"You did not go to battle in vain, but for the defense of the State of Israel. You went for the return of our brothers and sisters, for the war that has not yet ceased. We will continue to debate among ourselves about political plans, about recruitment issues, about identity issues, and about economic issues. There can be no disagreement about the destruction of the enemy," said the minister.
He directed a call to the Prime Minister at the end of his remarks. "Fateful days are approaching. Mr. Prime Minister, this is the time to change the history of the State of Israel and of the people of Israel. The government of Israel and all of the people of Israel will be with you and behind you in the decision to do everything in our power to strengthen Israel's security. We do not have the authority to miss this moment of opportunity."