The “Flag to the Fallen” Ceremony Was Held On Sunday At Mount Herzl

IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi: "Between the greater mission of defending the State of Israel, and each soldier’s individual purpose, stands friendship. Friendship that is not expressed verbally, but through acts of heroism.

This occurs through connections between names, those they knew in life, and those who tied their fates in death. All of them with the willingness to sacrifice their lives in defense of the State of Israel.

I wish the State of Israel safety; for us, the heads of the security organizations who put the security of the State of Israel and its civilians first. I wish that we knew how to use our people in the most effective ways possible and that we are not reckless in our decisions to endanger lives. May we know how to reduce the duration of this occurrence as much as possible, on behalf of professionalism and the proper treatment of our people.

We work in close cooperation all the time, in every situation and against every enemy, and on these certain special days we come together to bow our heads in unison in memory of the fallen. We all bear a great responsibility—the responsibility of protecting the State of Israel and its civilians, in the heart of a region full of threats and in a complicated time period.

We have the strength to defend and have the fortitude and power to strike when needed and we have the best people. Today we remember those who are no longer with us. May the memory of the fallen be blessed.”

The ceremony to salute Israel’s fallen soldiers and place Israel’s flag on their graves was held today, in the presence of the heads of Israel’s various security institutions.

The “Flag to the Fallen” ceremony is conducted jointly by the IDF, the Ministry of Defense and additional security institutions. During the ceremony which took place on Sunday on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, the Israeli flag was placed on the graves of Israel’s fallen soldiers and security forces' members. According to tradition, the ceremony marks the beginning of the events of Memorial Day.

The purpose of the 'Flag to the Fallen' project, which has been operating for over 20 years, is to cherish and honor the fallen who served and sacrificed their lives to defend the State of Israel and its civilians.

Furthermore, from the end of the ceremony on Mount Herzl until the beginning of Memorial Day for the IDF’s fallen soldiers and the fallen members of Israel’s security forces, an Israeli flag, a flower and a memorial candle will be placed on the grave of each of the fallen.

The ceremony was held in participation of IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi, members of the General Staff and heads and members of additional Israeli security institutions.