Israel Holds Remembrance Day Ceremonies at Mount Herzl

ceremony began at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on April 21, 2026, honoring fallen soldiers and victims of terror attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog attended the event. Mount Herzl serves as Israel's central military cemetery.

In his speech, Netanyahu recalled his brother Yoni Netanyahu, who died 50 years ago. He stated, "On this sacred mountain, Mount Herzl, lie generations of heroes and heroines. The wound is deeper than time. " Netanyahu described informing his parents of Yoni's death as the hardest moment of his life and noted that he thinks of his brother daily.

Netanyahu added that alongside the pain, there is recognition of heroism. He said families remember not only how their loved ones died but how they lived and what they fought for.

addressed threats from Iran, stating that the regime planned to destroy Israel with nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles. He mentioned sites like Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, saying actions prevented them from becoming like Holocaust extermination camps such as Auschwitz, Majdanek, and Treblinka.

He noted that throughout history, the people have faced annihilation but revealed inner strength. Netanyahu referenced the October 7 events, stating that from that point, the country surged forward to strike against enemies.

A separate Remembrance Day ceremony for the Israel Police occurred at Mount Herzl. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir addressed bereaved families and officials. Ben-Gvir described the October 7 Hamas attacks as a test that presented both pain and an opportunity to reestablish deterrence, change concepts, and strengthen the standing of the IDF, police, and prison service.