(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson)

President Reuven Rivlin today (Tuesday 12 January 2016), spoke at the inauguration of the new IDF Dolphin-class submarine, the INS Rahav, upon its arrival to the naval base in Haifa. The arrival of the submarine was met with a special naval ceremony attended by the President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister, IDF Chief-of-Staff, and Navy chiefs, who greeted the submarine crew on the vessel.

At the beginning of his address, the President spoke of his meeting with the crew during his visit to Germany in April 2015, where the vessel was being prepared for its arrival in Israel. He said, “Last Spring, I came to see you in the German city of Kiel, where you were preparing the INS Rahav for its journey to Israel. For me, this was a special opportunity to meet with you, and to come to know you first-hand, the crew and commanders of the submarine. I saw the strength of your commitment, of your responsibility, of your professionalism. Your determination and camaraderie. You told me that the concept of ‘me’ does not exist on a submarine, but that rather everything is about ‘us’. I saw how you worked in coordination, as one. And now, I am delighted to say to you, welcome back to Israel.”

The President stressed the enormous responsibility that rested on the crew in watching over the safety of the citizens of Israel. “The ‘conquest of the seas’ has always been an essential task for the Zionist movement and later became an economic, strategic, and political necessity for a small country such as the State of Israel." The President reiterated, "In the coming decades, the INS Rahav will take an active part in defending the State of Israel and its territorial waters, operating deeper, further, and for longer from the very depths – with a watchful eye, enabling our ability to act in the naval arena. Readiness for war alone cannot secure victory, it cannot alone overcome the enemy nor bring us safety, it is the professional crew which gives us our true qualitative advantage.”

The President concluded by thanking the families of the submarine’s crew, who were also attending the ceremony, “On my own behalf and on behalf of all the Israeli people, I want to thank you and your families, for your dedication and care. Crew of the INS Rahav, the heavy responsibility rests upon your shoulders.”