Flags at the Knesset are lowered to half staff
Speaker of the Knesset: 'We are saying goodbye to our patriarch'
In a ceremony paying last respects to one of Israel's founding fathers, flags were lowered to half-staff and officials eulogized the former President and Prime Minister; 'Today I feel that the family of Israel is not only saying goodbye to another member of the family, but saying goodbye to the patriarch himself.'
The Israeli flags on the Knesset plaza were lowered to half staff on Wednesday to commemorate the death of Former President Shimon Peres.
Peres's body will lay in state at the Knesset starting on Thursday so that the public can pay their final respects to the last of the founders of the State of Israel.
Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein (Likud) gave a eulogy in the plaza, saying "today I feel that the family which is Israel is not only saying goodbye to another member of the family, but saying goodbye to the patriarch himself."
Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein speaks at the Knesset flag lowering ceremony (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
Edelstein added that "we aren't only eulogizing the ninth president of the State of Israel in this building, not only a former prime minister, but also a Knesset member who served for an unprecedented period of time 48 years. I doubt that anyone can beat this record. Shimon Peres's story is the story of the Nation of Israel of the last 100 years."
Knesset Guard members standing at attention while flags are lowered to half-staff in honor of Shimon Peres (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
"I visited Shimon Peres as he lay in the hospital last week," the speaker of the Knesset added. "I was very optimistic – how else can you feel when you're close to him? Successful optimism. I said to his family and to his doctors – all of whom were optimistic – that I won't accept any excuse, and expect to see him at the opening of the winter Knesset session on October 31st. To my great sorrow, and all of our great sorrows, this won't happen."
"Even as the son of Holocaust survivors, as a new immigrant, as a farmer, as someone in the security services, as an elected official, and as a leader of the State of Israel, he always looked to conquer new challenges. His whole life he looked for ways to contribute to this state to this nation. That's how we'll remember him. I send my condolences to his family, and the condolences of his millions of admirers both in Israel and around the world.
