IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy spoke Tuesday evening at the annual commemoration ceremony commemorating the fallen soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade in the Yom Kippur War. 1,584 soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade, both reserve and regular, fell in battle during the difficult war, which this year marks 50 years since its outbreak.
"This year, it's a little different. It is different because unfortunately we have had spaces added; It is different, because on the fifty-year anniversary the memory of the Yom Kippur War hovers over it; And it is different because our ability to live here together is more important than ever," the chief of staff began.
IDF Chief of Staff speaks at the Paratroopers' Memorial Rally for the Yom Kippur War // IDF Spokesperson
Halevy spoke about the political and social crisis and its impact on the IDF: "Paratroopers understand this very well. When we jump out of the belly of the plane, some exit through the right door, and some from the left door. Between heaven and earth, the paratroopers depend on the pilot, who navigated to the right place, and on the folds of the parachutes, who did their job faithfully. Everyone will mean the point of connection, that xenon, which shimmers in the darkness for everyone alike. When they connect, transform again from individuals into units and move together to their destination, no one will remember which door they jumped from.
"On the night of the turning point in the canal, reserve paratroopers stood on one side and regular paratroopers on the other. Each of them came to the forefront with his own worldview on the political and social questions that preoccupied Israeli society at the time. At the front, they were only concerned with the task – to bring about a decisive victory and an end to the war, and to keep their comrades safe."
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy at the memorial rally for fallen paratroopers in the Yom Kippur War, photo: IDF Spokesperson
Halevy went on to emphasize the importance of unity in the army: "We in the IDF choose like them – to unite out of engagement with the author, to protect the regular forces from the dispute, and to try to sharpen the boundary between reserve service and civilian involvement. Different worldviews and disagreements are central components of a person's and society's identity. In the IDF, if we do not prefer what unites and if we do not place cohesion above the dispute, we will pay an unbearable price. Even if we stepped out of the different doors of the plane, we all have only one mission."
In his remarks, the Chief of Staff also referred to the importance of treating IDF wounded - body and soul - and the responsibility that commanders bear for this: Our responsibility, the commanders, is to do everything necessary to carry out the mission, while taking a calculated risk and preserving the lives of the fighters. We commanders must show responsibility even when the battle is over, and do everything possible so that our fighters will be whole – body and soul in the years to come. If we fail to do so, we take responsibility to learn and improve."
Also attending the rally were the parents of Sergeant Or Israelov, who was killed three months ago during training. "We are watched tonight by the family of Sergeant Or Israelov, blessed memory, who also volunteered for the same values as the paratroopers of '73. The painful encounter with the family of the last casualty lost by the brigade reminds us once again that our responsibility extends beyond the boundaries of the mission, to the people and to safety," Halevy said, referring to the accident in which Israelov lost his life.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us