Defense Minister Barak
צילום: דודי ועקנין
Barak: Do not be deceived by misleading calm
In National Remembrance Ceremony for soldiers killed in Yom Kippur War, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi speak of lessons learned in 1973 and of the need to be prepared at all times for future conflicts
"If there is one national lesson that we learned in the Yom Kippur War, it is that we should not be deceived by misleading periods of calm," said Defense Minister Ehud Barak this morning in his speech at the National Remembrance Ceremony for the soldiers killed in the Yom Kippur War. The ceremony, which marked the 34th anniversary of the war, took place at a time of increased tension with Syria.
The former Prime Minister's speech touched on the pain and suffering felt by those who lost loved ones in the Yom Kippur War and urged all to be prepared for the outbreak of war at any moment.
Weeping over lost loved ones (Photo: Dudi Vaknin)
In his speech, Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi discussed the impact of the Yom Kippur War on his generation. "The war undermined our national self-confidence and was like an earthquake for all those in Israel at the time." He went on to praise those who participated in the war for their courage, heroism, dedication, and sacrifice.
The IDF chief urged caution and stressed that Israel must pay close attention to developments in the region in order for it to be able to survive as an independent Jewish state.
In his closing remarks, Ashkenazi expressed his hope for the return of all Israeli soldiers that are being held hostage.
