The State of Israel bowed its head Wednesday, marking Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism.
The Jewish state came to a standstill at 11 a.m., as a two-minute siren wailed nationwide in honor of Israel's 20,512 fallen soldiers and 3,134 victims of terrorist attacks.
The siren was followed by the official state ceremony honoring Israel's fallen soldiers at the National Memorial Hall on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "All of us – Jews, Druze, Muslim, Bedouin and Circassians – stand together against the zealots who want to destroy us, and we will defeat them."
The prime minister said he had been asked by a member of a bereaved family what he thinks when he sends soldiers into battle.
"I told him I think about the soldiers, about the security of the state, and about families like yours, who paid the ultimate price, and about my comrades who were killed," Netanyahu said.
He stressed that "only by showing resolve in the face of those who seek to destroy us, only if we are willing to pay the price, will our existence be guaranteed."
He then asked Israelis to celebrate Israel's 70th Independence Day.
"Tonight, when the celebrations begin, our flag will fly high once again. Our fallen sons and daughters will be with us, they are always with us, they will always guide us," he said.
The state ceremony honoring victims of terrorism was held on Mount Herzl at 1 p.m.
At the ceremony, Netanyahu vowed that Israel "will not relent in the fight against terrorism. It is a global menace both here and abroad; we are determined to show resolve against the zealots and the ongoing incitement among our neighbors, some of whom refuse to accept our very existence."
Netanyahu said that even as "we hunt down every killer, we will continue to build the nation and solidarity among our people."
The ceremony honoring Israel Police officers killed in the line of duty was held Mount Herzl earlier Wednesday.
"Over the past decade, when the homefront became the front, the Israel Police has become a prime target for terrorists. One gets chills when reviewing the many names that were added to the National Memorial Hall over such a small period," Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh said at the ceremony.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu spoke at a commemoration event in Jerusalem, saying, "We Israelis, from the generation that founded the state to the current generation, have held on to the sword even as we build our nation and bow our heads in honor of those whose blood has been absorbed in the soil of the homeland."
He praised the bereaved families for not giving up and choosing to live fulfilling lives despite their tragedies, and vowed to fight for the return of Israelis held by the enemy.
"We never forget them, not for one minute, and we are committed to bringing our boys back home," he said.
Netanyahu said Israel "will continue working with the moderate elements in our region in order to reach peace."
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman wrote a missive to bereaved families on Wednesday.
"It is thanks to the heroism, courage and sacrifice of the fallen – and because of them – that we can continue marching with our heads held high, ready for future challenges. We truly hope that in the years ahead we will no longer have to live by the sword and that we would be able to dedicate our brightest minds and best resources toward science and technology, agriculture and the economy."
Lieberman said that the memories of the fallen will live on for eternity as they were the nation's finest.
On Tuesday evening, after a one-minute siren ushered in Memorial Day, the state ceremony was held at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
At the event, President Reuven Rivlin implored bereaved families not to fall into despair and vowed to give them all the support they need.
"We are duty-bound to work hard at improving the state your children fought for and to join hands and remain true to the biblical phrase 'for we are brethren.'"
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, who also spoke at the event, said that the Israel Defense Forces has "for seven decades served as the people's military, and this is its most powerful element."
Eizenkot said the "the common values of loving our homeland, fraternity and the camaraderie are what make it possible to overcome everything."
