Zamir: “I Cannot Offer True Comfort” as Leaders Address Nation on Memorial Day

Israel marked the start of Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron) on Monday evening, with national ceremonies in Jerusalem, where IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told bereaved families, “I cannot offer true comfort,” as he stood before them at the Western Wall. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog also addressed the nation, tying the day of remembrance to Israel’s ongoing war and internal cohesion. The speeches came as Israel honors its fallen, now totaling 25,644 members of the security forces, while continuing to fight a multi-front war. 

Zamir opened his remarks with a personal acknowledgment of loss, telling families, “I feel the pain of the fallen in my own body,” and adding, “I cannot offer true comfort.” He then shifted to a broader message about Israeli society, declaring that “a shared responsibility in bearing the burden is a condition for our existence.” He said there must be “deep partnership in the mission of security and in bearing the burden.” “We will continue to stand guard, we will not allow Iran to realize its ambitions, and we will ensure the eternity of Israel.”

Earlier in the evening at the opening ceremony at Beit Yad Labanim in Jerusalem, Netanyahu focused on the war and the Iranian threat. “We have not yet finished the task, but the world recognizes our determination,” he said. Referring to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, he added, “Iran… planned to destroy us with nuclear weapons.”

Netanyahu also tied the moment to national remembrance, saying, “The people remember. The people salute. The people are deeply grateful to the sons and daughters, thanks to whom our existence is assured.” 

“The people remember. The people salute. The people are deeply grateful to the sons and daughters, thanks to whom our existence is assured.,” he said.

At the Western Wall ceremony, Herzog focused on the need for internal cohesion during wartime. “We do not live by our sword, but alongside it,” he said, emphasizing that military force alone is not the nation’s defining purpose. He warned against internal division, stating, “When voices silence one another, the danger grows. When voices sing together, the nation grows stronger.”

Looking ahead, Herzog called on Israeli society to think beyond the current conflict. “The war generation must dare and dream of the day after the war,” he said, framing unity not only as a wartime necessity but as the foundation for Israel’s future.

The ceremonies began with a nationwide one-minute siren at 8:00 p.m., followed by the central state event at the Western Wall. Memorial Day will continue Tuesday with a two-minute siren and official ceremonies at Mount Herzl.