Israel celebrated the 70th anniversary of the IDF’s establishment.
By: United with Israel Staff
Israel’s political and military leadership on Monday celebrated the 70th anniversary of the IDF’s establishment.
In May 1948, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officially began acting as Israel’s military organization, rather than the assortment of separate groups that had preceded it.
Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, wrote in the order establishing the IDF: “At 4PM, Jewish independence was declared and the state was established and its fate is in the hands of the security forces.”
Led by the first Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Yaakov Dori, the IDF took on the role of the official defender of the State of Israel and its citizens.
Since its founding, the IDF has fought in seven wars, sent humanitarian delegations to more than 25 countries around the world, launched Operation Good Neighbor to help Syrian civil war refugees in need, and created revolutionary technology.
‘Thanks to the IDF, We Can Sleep Soundly’
During a ceremony marking the historic date held at the Yad LaShiryon Latrun memorial site, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot stated that “the actions attributed to those sitting here tell the IDF’s story. An army of the people, which leaves its footprints throughout this land, guarantees its existence to this day.”
“The IDF bows its head in loss and looks up proudly at its achievements. It’s a moral army that carries with it the memory of its past and is committed to a future of security and quiet. It’s an army that in every generation knew a complex reality and did not stop or rest on its sword,” he added.
Looking to the future, Eizenkot said that “all of us have the responsibility, soldiers and commanders, to prepare for the challenges in our borders and beyond. All of these require us to take initiative, to be determined and to strengthen our readiness for any scenario.”
“There are many challenges ahead, but I know that we will be able to respond to them mainly thanks to our people, spirit, technology, and creativity,” the IDF commander stated.
President Reuven Rivlin praised the soldiers, saying that “thanks to the IDF, we can sleep soundly. Thanks to the IDF, we can live our normal lives even under difficult circumstances. Thanks to the IDF, its soldiers and its commanders, we stand here today marking 70 years to the State of Israel.”