President Reuven Rivlin said at the opening of the state Memorial Day ceremony Tuesday that Israelis should always be ready to fight for their homeland.
"For me, for my peers, the State of Israel is not obvious. Without love for the homeland, adherence to the mission, the pursuit of victory, fraternity, leadership by example and the purity of arms, we would not be here as free people," said Rivlin. "Israel Defense Forces and the State of Israel, we need you young, strong, united, determined to lend a hand, to continue to win and ready, if necessary — to pay a price."
"In order to strengthen our security — we must be ready to fight for it. In order to build a new and prosperous society in the State of Israel, we must be on alert and vigilant for years to come, fight for our freedom whenever it is forced on us, fight and win."