Israel remembers its fallen

President Shimon Peres addressed bereaved families “with silent lips and tearful eyes” at the start of Israel’s Memorial Day.

“Israel’s strength springs from the strength of its faith, and its greatness emanates from the heroism of its sons,” Peres said during Sunday night’s national ceremony at the Western Wall. “Today we grieve for their loss and are blessed by their legacy.”

Peres also referred to the threat from Iran.

“There are still those who wish to annihilate us. And at their head, the autocratic Iranian regime that seeks to cast its rule over the Middle East, silence it with lethal weapons, and launch an anti-Israel incitement campaign to deflect Arab concerns,” he said. “On no account must we disregard these threats. Nor should our enemies belittle our capabilities.”

Ahead of Israel’s Memorial Day observance, Defense Minister Ehud Barak announced plans to build a national memorial hall to the nation’s fallen soldiers.

The hall at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem will list the names of the fallen soldiers and terror victims, which currently number 22,682, Barak said Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, on Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the gravesite of his brother, Yoni, who fell while leading the 1976 operation to free Israeli hostages of a hijacked Air France plane at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Netanyahu visited the grave at Mount Herzl cemetery a day early so that he would not disturb bereaved families on Memorial Day, according to a statement.

Memorial Day began Sunday night in Israel with a moment of silence heralded by a siren sounding throughout the country at 8 p.m., after which a national memorial and community memorial ceremonies were held.

A two-minute siren will sound at 11 a.m. Monday, followed by memorial ceremonies at 43 military cemeteries throughout Israel. Memorial Day ends Monday evening with the start of Israel Independence Day.