The remains of IDF soldier Zachary Baumel were laid to rest at the Mount Herzl military-cemetery in Jerusalem, more than 36 years after he was classified as Missing-In-Action.
Senior government and military officials, including President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, joined the soldier’s family for the burial ceremony.
In remarks Netanyahu made during the funeral, he stressed that the return of fallen IDF soldiers remains at the core of the Jewish and Israeli identity, which is rooted in mutual accountability for one-another. “Returning our sons to (our) borders, touches on the deepest cores of our identity as Jews and Israelis. All Israelis are accountable for one-another and from our inception the value of companionship is a foundation to the covenant that ties us together as a nation, a military, and a country. In the name of these values, and the love of the (Jewish) people land Zechariah embarked on operation Peace for The Galilee (The First Lebanon War)” Netanyahu said.
With just four days ahead of Israel’s Parliamentary elections, the Prime Minister noted that despite “arguments and disagreements” among Israelis, the core values that unite the people of Israel are “stronger than all else.” According to the Israeli Prime Minister: “Also when we have arguments and disagreements in our midst, which are a natural part of life in a free and democratic state, even then the inner point that unites us in good and bad, this inner point is stronger than all else. In the spirit of the words of the prophet Zechariah (c8: v19): “Therefore love the truth and peace,” I say to our dear brother Zachary Baumel, Welcome home, your memory will be forever etched in the heart of our people.”