Operation Rising Lion: Netanyahu reads victory poem

The Prime Minister released the following statement today (Wednesday) regarding Operation Rising Lion:

"We have a difficult day today. We lost seven of our heroic soldiers, who fell in the campaign to defeat Hamas and for the release of our hostages. Our hearts are with the families. We take them to our hearts in their unbearably difficult hour.

"I would like to again commend the ministers of the Government. It is not self-evident, that the State of Israel would succeed in maintaining functional stability in time of barrages of lethal missiles. It was done by dedicated, expedited and successful work by the Government ministries.

"We are currently immersed in the task of rebuilding, of course. The directive that I have given, and I know that it will be carried out, is to render generous assistance quickly.

"Generous – this means that the resources of the state will be directed, like we did during the Corona crisis. It helped and we got Israel out of that crisis first in the world.

"Quickly – this means cutting through bureaucracy, which always makes these things difficult. It is a mission, and I know that you are dedicated to it.

"I would like to specially thank Defense Minister Israel Katz, who worked with me shoulder-to-shoulder in managing the campaign. This combination and the action that the Government ministries took to give us space to work, what we did together, Israel, greatly assisted, and was a critical component, in achieving the result. Thank you, Israel.

"I would like to read to you something I received from Naama Kadosh, a ciiizen, who sent me a poem that she wrote.

"The name of the poem is 'A People as a Lion':

"'Sometimes we stand without words in the face of the greatness of the hour.

"The heart contracts and expands in the same breath.

"As we see everyone, lion and lioness, how the Eternal People, the Chosen People, has risen again before our eyes.'

"I think she says the primary thing, and we really do have a great achievement. We have a great victory in the campaign against an enemy who came to destroy us. By this victory we have removed two immediate existential threats in order to ensure the eternity of Israel."