The Armored Corps rally marking the centennial of the Yom Kippur War began Thursday evening in Latrun. President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Yoav Galant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy are taking part in the rally.
During the rally, Defense Minister Galant said: "Precisely when it seemed that there was nothing to hold on to anymore, in hours of great pain and terrible devastation, we clung as a people to the good of the state, the flag, the symbol and the Declaration of Independence – this is the scroll that constitutes the opening chapter of the unwritten constitution of a state without a constitution. Even today, the Declaration of Independence embodies the foundations on which the State of Israel was built and exists – it is a Jewish state, a democratic state and it has equal rights for all its citizens."
The minister added: "Anyone who challenges the status of the Declaration of Independence harms the moral pillar of the State of Israel. Especially in times of disagreement and disagreement, we should preserve the broad national common denominator as it appears in the Declaration of Independence, and march in the light of the moral and practical compass embodied in it."
President Isaac Herzog also took the podium and spoke: "These days are challenging and difficult, even dangerous – for us as a society and as a country. Socially, economically, and most importantly – security-wise, the internal crisis threatens us. The pictures and reports that show our enemies cheering and jubilating, mistakenly interpreting our dispute as an internal disintegration, God forbid, are a warning sign. Thus, for example, in the words of Dr. Maroch Nassar, a senior cleric in the Arab world known as an avowed hater of Israel, who was recently interviewed on a program titled "A fact is near – Israel is nearing disintegration," and said in an interview that: "Israel will not end in the blink of an eye; There are preliminary signs of this, and they are clear: a rift within Israeli society and internal divisions."
Referring to the agreement with Saudi Arabia, President Herzog, photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO
Herzog added: "A moment before Yom Kippur, and as we mark the jubilee of the accursed war, it is time for soul-searching, for lessons to be learned and for demonstrating national responsibility. If we do not learn lessons from the Yom Kippur War - if we continue to be captives of conceptions, if we continue to walk with our heads against the wall, if we miss opportunities for domestic peace within ourselves as well! – There will be heavy costs to pay. National resilience and national security are directly related to the internal situation in Israel. Our elected officials must internalize this very well."
Herzog spoke about the emerging agreement with Saudi Arabia: "I wholeheartedly welcome the important developments regarding the possibility of a historic agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a very important country, and I believe that a relationship based on partnership and friendship with it can be the foundation for a historic change in the history of the State of Israel and the entire Middle East. This opportunity, of course, depends on many factors, but I hope and believe with all my heart that it will be realized."
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