(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Advisor)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, (Wednesday, 14 Novemeber, 2018), at Sde Boker, attended the State Memorial Ceremony for David Ben Gurion.
Prime Minister Netanyahu:
"I stand here at the grave of David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister of the State of Israel and a great leader of the Jewish people. In times of crisis Ben-Gurion made fateful decisions. Sometimes he did so against popular opinion, but in the course of time, these decisions proved to be correct.
In normal times, a leader must be attentive to the hearts of the people, and our people are wise. But in times of crisis, when making critical decisions in the field of security, the public cannot always be a partner in the crucial considerations that must be concealed from the enemy.
At these moments, leadership is not to do the easy thing; leadership is to do the right thing, even if it is difficult. Leadership is sometimes facing criticism, when you know confidential and sensitive information that you cannot share with the citizens of Israel, and in this case with the residents of the south, whom I love and appreciate greatly.
I hear the voices of the residents of the south. Believe me, they are precious to me, their words penetrate my heart. But together with the heads of the security forces, I see the overall picture of Israel's security, which I cannot share with the public. I wish I could share with the citizens of Israel everything I know, but with the security of Israel – it is mostly hidden from view. Our enemies have pleaded for a cease-fire, and they know very well why.
I cannot elaborate on our plans for the future. We will determine the right conditions and the right times for the State of Israel, which are correct for the security of our citizens.
I come here from the hospital. I visited the family of a heroic fighter who was wounded in our covert operation in the Gaza Strip, from a family of heroes. I salute his heroism and that of his comrades, outstanding fighters of darkness, and the heroism of our brave pilots, all of whom have shown extraordinary cool and courage. I again send condolences to the family of Lieutenant Colonel M., a hero of Israel.
We are doing everything for Israel's security, responsibly, discretely - on all fronts. We will continue to do the right things, both openly and covertly, for the security of Israel and for the future of Israel.
This is the essence of the legacy given to us by David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister, the leader of our rebirth, a man of the book and the Bible, a visionary and man of action - may his memory be blessed and cherished in the heart of the nation ".