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Prime Minister Ariel Sharons Address at the Memorial Service for Yitzchak Rabin and Leah Rabin zl At Mount Herzl /Translation |
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| 06/11/2003 |
On that horrible night, three shots were fired into the unguarded back of Yitzchak Rabin and into the back of the entire nation. It is now the eighth autumn in our land, the wind blowing through the tops of the pine trees here on the hills of Jerusalem, is chilly, and the dark cloud hanging over us has not since stirred. And the country will not be atoned of blood until we heal from this chasm, until we patch together the tears, and until we establish amongst ourselves - first and foremost amongst ourselves - brotherhood and peace.
Yitzchak was my commander and companion. Indeed, we did not always share the same opinions, however, he and I had an unspoken partnership which transcended all disagreement. This is the sense of mission which has guided our lives; it is the responsibility which our generation - the generation which built Israel - shouldered. It is the ultimate loyalty which we vowed to the security of Israel. The mutual friendship and admiration, the immediate understanding forged through a single look and without words, never blurred differences in our points of view. These only formed a solid bridge, and no controversy and political argument could shake its foundations.
The bullets of that horrible murder are still embedded in the soul of the nation. If there is a national lesson, it is that we must halt, and be wary of any deviation of the fringes from the fundamental agreement of democracy in order to prevent its collapse. The lesson must be denunciation of any political violence, disobedience from any side, of bypassing the political framework and democratic process, and of taking the law into ones own hands. The lesson must be respect for both ones fellow- man and opponent, and tolerance even in times of heated argument regarding issues rooted in the spirit of the nation and its future. The unity of the Israeli people has always been one rich in contrast, as colorful as a mosaic and saturated with internal tensions, and despite all this, it is unity. Brothers are we, and even if the fire of division burns within us, we will not allow it to burn our house down.
We will remember Yitzchak Rabin; a soldier and a leader, loyal to his country and its security, a warrior and a builder of the protective power, a victorious commander, and a statesman who desired peace in his own way, albeit a way not shared by all. We will remember and cherish him and his many deeds for the State of Israel and the IDF, and we will forever mourn his untimely death at the hand of a vile murderer - one of our own.
And while we remember Yitzchak, we also remember Leah, his devoted wife, who since their youth and all along the way was his dedicated and loving companion, to the end. Leah was to be admired in her own right for her many social and public activities, especially for disadvantaged children and their families. We will treasure her memory and will hold her contribution in high esteem.
The people of Israel will always remember Yitzchak and Leah Rabin with respect and gratitude.
May their souls be bound in the bond of life.
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