Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the state memorial ceremony for the October 7 massacre at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Monday afternoon, marking three years since the Hamas attack.
Opening his remarks, Netanyahu addressed the bereaved families and said that he and his wife, Sara, stood alongside them in their grief.
“Your grief is the nation’s grief. I know what a void has been torn within you,” Netanyahu said. “Everything reminds us of our loved ones: The empty chair at the table. A favorite food. A touching song. We will cherish the memory of each and every one of the fallen.”
Concluding his remarks, Netanyahu quoted the prophet Isaiah: “To give them beauty instead of ashes.”
“Terrorism will not extinguish the eternal light of our nation – the light of our loved ones who were murdered,” he said. “By their light, we will persevere on the path. We will persevere in reaching out a hand to one another. We will persevere in marching forward – for the future of the nation and the State.”
AFSI Insight
Marking three years since October 7, Netanyahu has delivered an unmistakable message: surrender to terrorism is out of the question, and there will be neither forgiveness nor forgetting. AFSI firmly stands with Israel in its resolve to bring Hamas and all those responsible to account.
To ensure long-term safety, the campaign must continue until Hamas is completely dismantled, national security is re-established, and the critical lessons of October 7 are fully implemented. Israel cannot allow its citizens to ever again be exposed to enemy threats without consequence. It is our prayer that this unwavering resolve extends to countering every Iranian proxy and jihadist group seeking to endanger Israel and its citizens.