President Isaac Herzog opened Israel Hayom's "Tomorrow's Conference" Tuesday with a speech honoring those who fell in the recent war while defending Ashkelon, the host city. He also addressed the challenges facing Israeli society as it looks to rebuild and move forward.
Herzog began by remembering Shahaf Nisani and her cousin Eden Gez, two of more than 30 Ashkelon residents killed in Hamas' deadly attacks on October 7. "May their memories, and those of all the fallen and murdered, be blessed," he said.
The president acknowledged that while the war is not yet over, with 133 captives still held by Hamas and many displaced residents unable to return home, rehabilitation efforts are already underway through the dedicated work of the "Tekuma" administration staff.
However, he stressed, "we all understand this will be a long and complex process." During the conference, attendees will discuss some of the most pressing issues, "but the bottom line is clear: We can only succeed in meeting these challenges – together. United we will prevail, and united we will rebuild," he noted.
Herzog emphasized the importance of unity, stating "We cannot invest our resources in construction, rehabilitation, and renewal, as long as our efforts and energies are focused on internal strife."
He pointed to the war's start when "Israelis from different sectors put aside October 6 disputes and mobilized – together! – for countless vital missions." But he warned, "as time passes, we seem to be gradually returning to the realms of polarization and partisanship."
"Let us not forget, there is a huge difference between unity and uniformity, between dispute and debate," Herzog said. "Debates are a vital component of democracy...To move from dispute to debate, we must instill listening, respect, and dialogue in our public discourse."
The president declared he is "fully dedicated to promoting these values" through initiatives like "Changing Words - The President's Initiative for Israeli Discourse."
"We all understand that 'tomorrow' must look different from 'yesterday,' and to achieve that, we must fundamentally change our discourse. It is within our power," Herzog urged.
He thanked Israel Hayom, "which has rightly become one of the most central and influential" media outlets, its publishers, and Ashkelon's municipality for hosting, and praised the city's residents for their "immense strength these past months."
