IDF Chief's stirring message ahead of Memorial Day : "In their memory, we stand"  

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir released a Command of the Day ahead of Israel’s 2025 Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel’s Wars, honoring those who paid the ultimate price in defense of the nation.

"Soldiers of the IDF, commanders and civilian employees,

"As we do every year on Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, the nation pauses to honor those who have fallen. Since the dawn of our nation, remembrance has been a cornerstone of our identity – both as a people and a state. Across two millennia of exile, the Jewish people clung to the memory of its homeland, yearning to return and preserving the Jewish identity, even under the harshest of circumstances. The tale of the lives and deaths of the fallen run like a scarlet thread through our history and carries on the time-honored decree to remember and commemorate. The more we speak of them, their dreams, loves and bravery, the more we eternalize their character and actions."

Zamir paid tribute to generations of Israeli defenders and heroes, spanning every era and battlefront:

"We shall remember the pioneers who established communities and made the desert bloom, the resistance and Jewish Brigade fighters, those who fought in the War of Independence and paved the way to our self reliance and the survivors of the Holocaust who did not succumb to grief and joined the ranks of our defenders. We shall remember the liberators of the Western Wall, the warriors in the defensive battles and the people in the outposts in the Golan and Sinai. We pay tribute to the fighters in Lebanon, in densely populated alleys in Judea and Samaria and the bloody battle zones in the Gaza Strip, from every unit, corps and service, both in active duty and reserve."

Reflecting on the recent tragedies of October 7 and the ongoing war, Zamir acknowledged the pain and resilience of a nation still healing:

"Once again, we mark Memorial Day in the shadow of a harrowing failure, which has shaken the State of Israel to its core. In the past 18 months, many new names have been added to the memorial wall, of citizens and warriors who faced danger head-on and stood as a defensive shield in front of a ruthless enemy who sought to challenge our very existence."

"Esteemed Servicemembers,

We uphold our moral duty to remember the past, work for a present of prosperity and growth and secure the future entrusted to us. We fight for a clear purpose – to act tirelessly for the defense of our homeland and victory in the war, to bring back our brothers and sisters held in enemy captivity and restore a sense of security to every citizen of Israel."

Emphasizing the IDF’s ongoing commitment to bereaved families, Zamir added:

"On this day, we strengthen our everlasting pledge to the bereaved families, to support and embrace and lend a helping hand. Let us remember that grief and agony know no schedule, and memory bears no date. The void the loved ones leave behind is ever present – in holidays, family gatherings and everyday life."

The message concluded with a powerful reflection on Israel’s future and the legacy of its fallen heroes:

"As we raise our eyes to the flag, lowered now to half-mast, before commencing the celebrations of our 77th Independence Day, we commit to growing from every tear, thriving, and continually enhancing the security of the State of Israel. Only then shall we be worthy of the legacy of the fallen. Only then can we promise to stand guard, ready and resolute for generations to come."

"May the memory of the fallen be blessed."