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Honorable President of the State,
Honorable Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, Member of Knesset Otniel Schneller,
Honorable Justice of the Supreme Court, Mr. Asher Grunis,
Commanders of the IDF,
Police Officers,
Members of the Meir and Rehavi Families,
Distinguished Guests, those who cherish the memory of Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel,
Thirty years ago in a state ceremony, on a rainy winter's day, the State of Israel escorted Golda Meir to her final resting place, with appreciation and gratitude. This special woman, who was the only woman to serve as prime minister to date, was a central and dominant figure in our national landscape for over five years. She was at the time not only an uncompromising leader and a proud representative of the people and State, but much more than that: to the world she symbolized Israel and was the collective embodiment of the Jewish mother, protecting her cubs and family like a lioness.
Today Golda is remembered by the public – unjustifiably – almost exclusively in the context of the Yom Kippur War. As she was prime minister at the time, she is perceived as carrying on her shoulders the responsibility for the tragic surprise that shook Israel. Some blame her for the nearsighted policy and lack of flexibility that constituted an obstacle to possible progress towards peace or an interim agreement with Egypt prior to the war. Some condemn her for avoiding an immediate military response in reaction to the advance of the Egyptian missile apparatus to the front of the canal, which represented a breach of the ceasefire agreement that ended the War of Attrition. Some criticize her for not calling on the reserves early enough and for her failure to inflict an aerial preemptive strike just hours before the Syrian-Egyptian attack.
All these criticisms have historic answers that put Golda's decisions in the right perspective. Her efforts to conduct direct dialogue with Egypt were met with suspicion and disregard. Complex considerations – at the top of which were the special relations and vital diplomatic coordination with the White House and the administration in Washington – guided her judgment. Without any military experience, she decided wisely for the most part, with common sense and with a sense of perspective in the face of contradicting suggestions and recommendations by the security experts who surrounded her, including an authoritative Chief of Staff and a well-respected Minister of Defense.
As a rule hindsight is twenty-twenty. Only those who find themselves in charge of decision making at the highest level in times of war, surrounded by suggestions, advisers and experts, know that there is really no one to ask. At the end of the day you find yourself alone with nothing but your judgment and your conscience in the face of a reality which is very complex, dynamic and has many variables. The decision is sometimes as clear as daylight, and sometimes grey, involving misgivings and agony. And whether you decide to act or not, mistakes sometimes happen. Even Napoleon, Churchill and Roosevelt made mistakes.
Let us not forget: an official board of inquiry commended Golda for her leadership and conduct during that difficult and traumatic war ("Long and bloody" as Moshe Dayan defined it) whose casualties were numbered in the thousands.
Golda is by no means just the Yom Kippur War. Golda Meir served the Zionist movement and the State of Israel from her years in the political desk at the Jewish Agency to her years in government. She was "a political animal" and an active and central figure in the ruling party. However it was in her official roles that she achieved great accomplishments by legislating advanced social laws, advancing Israel's international standing, and strengthening ties with the Diaspora. As Minister of Labor she placed on the Knesset's agenda the National Insurance Law and a long list of labor and welfare laws. In her years as Foreign Minister, the wings of Israeli diplomacy were stretched far and wide, especially in the awakening Sub-Saharan countries. As Israel's first delegate in Moscow she excited many Jewish hearts as a ray of sunshine and hope in the midst of the Stalinist darkness and oppression. In all her appearances at Jewish communities as representative of the State of Israel and as its Prime Minister, she captivated her listeners. She spoke with basic simple logic, with complete confidence and trust in Israel's unequivocal right and moral advantage, without any doubt or reservation about the justness of Zionism. Her convincing and captivating words came from the heart, and went straight to the heart, creating strength and closeness in the fraternal union between Israel and the Diaspora.
As Prime Minister, Golda also searched covertly for diplomatic channels, but the many obstacles and the rivalry between the great powers in our region were burdensome. The special relations with the United States evolved and were strengthened in her time; meaningful strategic understandings were agreed upon, and American financial aid to Israel increased considerably. Golda's famous "shopping basket" brought many sophisticated weapons to all branches of the IDF, including Phantom fighter jets and Patton tanks. This special relationship achieved its greatest expression during the Yom Kippur "Aerial Convoy" and in the declaration of a high state of alert by the American Army in the face of Soviet threats.
Golda's leadership was direct, humane and simple – but also strong, authoritative and firm. She served her people with a warm heart and with great love. The State of Israel and the Jewish people will remember her forever, and a place of honor will be reserved for her in history, with great appreciation.
Blessed be her memory.
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