(Prime Minister's Office) At the Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We take leave from Ariel Sharon, the 11th Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Arik was, first and foremost, a warrior and a commander, among the Jewish People's greatest generals in the current era and throughout its history. He was dedicated to the security of the state from his youth, as a young fighter in the War of Independence, and afterwards as a commander in the 1956 Sinai operation, in the Six-Day War, and in the decisive battle, during the Yom Kippur War, in leading the IDF across the Suez Canal." "He established [the commando] Unit 101 and set two primary foundations for Israel's struggle against terrorism: initiative and retaliation - which stand to this day. He also continued this action as Defense Minister, in distancing terrorism from our northern border." "He understood that above everything, our revival is our ability to defend ourselves by ourselves. I believe that he will be remembered in the heart of the Jewish People forever as one of our most outstanding leaders and most daring commanders."
2014-01-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive