Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the state memorial ceremony for Ze'ev Jabotinsky at Mount Herzl, marking the 85th anniversary of his death, and addressed the hostages, the war objectives, and the situation in southern Syria.
"Exactly one month ago, Operation 'Rising Lion' came to an end—one of the boldest, most powerful, and successful operations in Israel’s history," said Netanyahu. "We acted in the final hour, before Iran succeeded in developing nuclear weapons, and before they were able to develop tens of thousands of ballistic missiles, which would have also posed an existential threat to us."
He continued, "We, who carry the memory of the Holocaust, did not wait for the last moment. We acted with relentless determination to remove the dual threat—both the nuclear threat and the ballistic missile threat."
Addressing the fighting in Gaza, Netanyahu said, "After the October 7 massacre, we faced a clear choice—surrender, despair, raise our hands, or gather strength... And indeed, we stood together to dismantle Hamas’ rule in the Gaza Strip; to bring our beloved hostages home, both the living and the fallen; and to ensure that Gaza will never again be a monstrous terrorist entity."
He added, "I said that we would change the face of the Middle East, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Our enemies launched a multi-front war—and they are getting a multi-front war in return. We are operating as a power—on seven fronts. We are crushing the 'axis of evil' that Iran has built over decades."
In a direct reference to the hostage talks, Netanyahu stated, "Our soldiers are tirelessly destroying Hamas' capabilities in the Gaza Strip—above and below ground. We are working to secure another hostage release deal. But if Hamas perceives our willingness to reach a deal as weakness, as an opportunity to dictate surrender terms that would endanger the State of Israel — they are making a big mistake. We are determined to bring everyone back, and we will do so."
His comments come as the US and Israel ordered their negotiating teams in Doha to return home in response to what both nations called Hamas' unacceptable demands in its response to the latest ceasefire proposal.
Addressing the situation in Syria, Netanyahu said, "We will not abandon our Druze brothers in southern Syria... Our policy in southern Syria is now more crucial than ever. We will demilitarize the area south of Damascus, adjacent to our border, and we will do everything necessary, and more, to assist and protect the Druze."