Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi took the podium at the official Remembrance Day ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
Halevi was dressed in his field military uniform, deviating from his usual uniform for official occasions.
During his speech, Herzi Halevi acknowledged that the IDF had failed in its mission on October 7. 'As the commander of the Israel Defense Forces during this war, I bear responsibility for the IDF’s failure to protect the citizens of Israel on October 7. I carry this weight on my shoulders every day,' stated the Chief of General Staff.
He directly addressed the families of the fallen and kidnapped soldiers, expressing, 'The day a commander loses one of his soldiers, he becomes responsible to their loved ones for the rest of his life. I am the commander who sent your sons and daughters into battle, and I remember the fallen every day. I am the one obligated to answer the questions that keep you awake.'
Herzi Halevi affirmed, 'In this war, we are determined to fulfill our mission, despite understanding the price we may pay for it. As long as our enemies rise against us, we will be prepared and will firmly respond to any attacks. The moment we don the IDF uniform, we accept the responsibility it entails. From the day we are drafted into the army, we are united by a single goal: to defend the country.'
