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Der Krieg ist der Vater der Dinge. -HERAKLIT
Jerusalem Monday, July 02, 2001
Following are excerpts from the speech that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon delivered today (Monday), 2.7.2001, at the state ceremony marking 25 yearsw since "Operation Yonatan" (the Entebbe raid).
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There are few military operations which, in retrospect, reflect the spirit and courage of an entire nation. "Operation Yonatan" (the Entebbe Operation) was one of those few.
There are few commanders who, during their lifetime and even more so after their death, become a symbol of a heroic and confident Israel, a peace-seeking nation, determined to confront its enemies, through dedication and adherence to the cause.
This is how the late Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu - Yoni, who fell during the battle to release the Entebbe hostages, is engraved in our national memory.
I did not know him personally, but I know and admire the spirit and atmosphere in which he was raised - the son of a family of deeply-rooted Zionist activists.
His education was saturated with a love for the land of Israel and a genuine concern for Jewish survival. The education he received combined a strong and sincere desire for peace with the recognition that we must continue to hold the sword if we are to ensure the survival of the Jewish people.
Yoni's ethos and the entire operation have already become part of our national pantheon. In these confusing times, when there are those who question our capabilities or the justness of our cause, we return to those few hours when Israel stood up and in the face of the entire community of nations, waged a battle against violence and terrorism, proving that we can win.
The Israeli Government's decision to launch Operation Yonatan was not only an operational decision but also a strategic one: the risk of surrendering to terrorism is a great strategic risk, much higher than the risks involved in a difficult and complex military operation.
Above all, Operation Yonatan remains engraved in our national consciousness as a symbol and a living truth for us and for future generations: despite it being a small country forced to confront security, economic and political challenges, Israel is, and has always been, the only place in the world where Israeli citizens have the inalienable right and capability to defend themselves by themselves.
In his writings, Yoni eloquently expressed the essence of this right and capability:
"I, and Israeli youth, have the duty to defend this country. It is a great responsibility that has made us come of age prematurely: people from the Moshav, the city and the Kibbutz who are united by something stronger than political affiliation. They are united by a feeling of brotherhood, mutual responsibility, recognition of the value of human life, a strong and sincere yearning for peace but at the same time a willingness to stand up to any challenge".
And on the character of the IDF he wrote:
"In the army I have learnt about the character of life, the sweet taste of the water for which there is no substitute (after long and arduous training), the value of a willpower and all the wanders that man can create".
Operation Yonatan is perhaps also a reminder of a time when we were younger and smaller, but had the courage, imagination and determination to spread our wings: to operate in the mountains of Kurdistan, in Yemen, Ethiopia and the Sudan. In that same manner, we also reached Entebbe. Today, it seems that we have lost some of the spirit of that time.
In a eulogy for Yoni Netanyahu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres, then Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister, eloquently expressed the essence of the determination and sacrifice: "In one hour of trial, the entire Jewish nation, and all the people of the free world, "straightened their back" and regained their confidence".
These days, when we are in the midst of an ongoing battle against terrorism, violence and incitement, and when we are making a joint national effort to return to political negotiations without fire, we must rekindle the spirit of that operation. The secret of our strength lies in such spirit and faith, and if we learn how to renew it we will be able to meet all the challenges that still lie ahead.
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