Photo by GPO

Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak,
Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Benny Ganz,
Head of the ISA, Yoram Cohen,
Air Force Commander, Ido Nechustan,
Base Commander and Commander of the Flight School,
My friend, MK Tzipi Hotoveli, who works tirelessly to improve the status of women,
Heads of the local authorities,
Ms. Zvia Riven, mother of Elad Riven, the fire fighting volunteer who died with his friends in an effort to save others – Elad liked aviation and I believe he would have ended up in this course,
Immigrants who arrived in the framework of the Solomon Operation 20 years ago – we recently celebrated Hanukkah, and remember discovering to my astonishment that the Ethiopian immigrants were unfamiliar with this holiday as they belonged to one of the Tribes of Israel which left the Land of Israel during the First Temple period.  However, they upheld the heritage and longing to reach the land of Zion for thousands of years, and walked through the plains and the mountains and many died.  And one day, the IDF Air Force, the Air Force of the State of Israel, came and raised them up on the wings of eagles and brought them to Israel, and that says a great deal about you and the Air Force and our country and people.  Welcome.

Lastly, but today firstly, the graduates of this long and difficult course – I believe it is the longest in the IDF.  Before I discuss the course, let me address the families because you raised, helped and encouraged and today you see that you succeeded in ushering your daughters and sons to this special occasion.  Those who spoke before me were right in saying that without you, it would not have occurred.  Well done to you and thank you on behalf of the State of Israel.

Photo by GPO

Now to the graduates: I must tell you and I am certain that I am speaking for my colleagues as well, the Minister of Defense and the Chief of General Staff, because we were members of the infantry corps.  Members of the infantry corps walk a lot.  And we would walk and climb mountains by foot and descend into the valleys and we would sweat and pant, suddenly Air Force planes would cross the azure skies above us and we would say: "Ah, how easy those pilots have it and how hard we have it".  Well, one day I had the opportunity to see how easy it was for pilots because I was invited to the Tel Nof base.  They put me in one of those birds and after an hour, I returned soaked in sweat, and I swore never again.  Perhaps one more time…  This course is difficult.  What is required of you is difficult and truly challenges all your special abilities.  You deserve praise for all that you have been through, what you have done and what you are going to do.

Today, you are joining the Israeli Air Force.  You are the fingers on the State of Israel's steel fist, and the steel fist is connected to our very long arm.  It is there to defend our country against those who seek to harm us.  And I know you travelled a very long path to arrive here, and you will all go much farther.

I would like to address the new female pilots of the Air Force.  There is no greater proof of the absurdity of gender discrimination, what we call the exclusion of women, than your appearance here today on the parade grounds.  There is no room for the exclusion of women in the State of Israel.  The Chief of General Staff rightly said that the true test is ability.  Anyone who meets the standard of abilities belongs with us.  In a country in which women sit in the cockpit – in that country, women will sit wherever they like.  This is the Air Force's policy; this is the IDF's policy; this is our policy.  I know that a change is occurring here that did not begin today.  There are already female pilots, female navigators and female helicopter pilots.  I was recently in a helicopter flown by such a pilot.  You truly serve as examples and role models to an open, liberal, democratic society like that in the State of Israel.

However, our society is also one that creates a special species of people who create many things.  In a few minutes, we will see in the skies above us the Air Force planes, including the F-16 I.  Why I?  Because it is an F-16 ISRAEL.  These planes include a great deal of the invention and innovation that characterize us – from the missiles to the avionics to the helmet.  However, the most important thing on the plane or other planes that you will soon see is you, the pilots of the State of Israel's Air Force.

I congratulate you on completing the course.  Continue to fly, defend our skies.  I believe in you because I know you will do all that you can as men and women to defend our homeland, to safeguard our country.

Return home safely and be blessed.