Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday attended an annual event at the Western Wall Tunnels, praising haredi IDF soldiers and stressing the importance of combining Torah study and military service.
The event was hosted by the Netzach Yehuda Battalion's pre-military academies and the haredi hesder yeshivas, which operate under the "Shomer Israel" organization that supports all of the haredi IDF tracks.
"Torah study will always continue, but a large public can combine both the Torah and the sword," Netanyahu began. "And today, we've improved this, with very strong efforts from the IDF, to enable someone to enter as a haredi and leave as a haredi. To uphold both the heritage of Israel and the defense of Israel. Look at what we’re discovering: We’re discovering that this combination is not only possible - it’s powerful. I saw the soldiers. I saw the Hashmonaim Brigade, I was there. I saw Nahal Haredi. I saw their service in Gaza; they eliminated dozens of terrorists in exemplary combat. And we lost dear soldiers, may G-d avenge their blood," he said.
"And I also saw that same heroism here, in Jerusalem. Three days ago, we saw that terrible massacre, and a great disaster - an even greater one - was prevented by a soldier from the Hashmonaim Brigade. I take my hat off to him and his comrades. There is no contradiction - there is a combination, and that combination is powerful."
He concluded, "And let all our enemies know that we stand against them, as we did yesterday in Yemen as well. In Yemen, there are those who won’t know, because they are no longer with us - many of them. But we act without fear and with great faith to ensure the eternity of Israel."