Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also serves as Jerusalem’s Defense Minister, attended A celebratory meeting of Israel’s top security officials, ahead of the Jewish Rosh Hashana New Year holiday. He commended Israel’s Defense Forces for tireless efforts to protect the Jewish State over the past year, as well as for readiness to face new challenges.
At the start of the meeting, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi seized the opportunity to reassure the country’s citizens that all military activity is exclusively devoted to guaranteeing the security of the State of Israel. He said: “(The IDF’s) decision making is professional, focused and considerate. And we (the IDF General Staff), not excluding anyone, make our decisions for the good of the state of Israel, when the question of Israel’s security dictates exclusively the parameters of our judgement regarding reality.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu praised the Israeli army and its general staff for their proven capabilities, yet he cautioned of the growing trials that the IDF will face in the near future – taking into account the elevated sense of tension across the Middle East. The Israeli leader said: ; “The proven capabilities of our military and this forum, to operate simultaneously against multiple targets is going to be challenged in an unprecedented manner. We know what is happening around us, and what is amassing surrounding us (Israel). Up until today I think that we navigated the situation in both a responsible and courageous manner.” / “In many arenas and sometimes simultaneously, but not in an all-out war.”