President of the State at the burial ceremony of Herzl's grandparents: 'There is no full victory without diplomatic work'

At the Great Leaders of the Nation plot on Mount Herzl, a ceremony was held today (Wednesday) for the burial of the remains of Shimon (Leib) and Rivka Herzl, the grandparents of the visionary of the state, Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl, who were brought to Israel in recent weeks from the outskirts of Belgrade, Serbia.

The coffins were brought into the plaza and covered with the same parochet (curtain) that covered the coffin of Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl himself when his remains were brought to Israel 77 years ago; it was brought from the Central Zionist Archives for this purpose.

The ceremony was the final step in an operation first reported in 'Hayom', in which Israeli authorities spoke with Serbian authorities with the goal of fulfilling the visionary of the state's will and bringing his grandparents to Israel — who will be buried alongside him and his family on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

The ceremony took place in the presence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President of the State Isaac Herzog, Chairman of the World Zionist Organization Yaakov Hagoel, and other senior officials.

President of the State Isaac Herzog said:

"After every victory and military achievement, the work of diplomacy and statesmanship must also come. We must ensure the security of Israel, but there is no full victory without the diplomatic work at its end."

Referring to the upcoming election period, Herzog said: "Elections are not a civil war. We must continue to be worthy together of the historical mission that we are a part of — the building of the Jewish state."

The President continued: "History is not always written in books, but is carried in the hearts and actions of individuals. Just a few days ago, in a Jewish cemetery in Belgrade, two coffins stood, and today they are here, in Jerusalem. At this time, when we stand after almost three years of a multi-front war, it is precisely the figure of Herzl the statesman that should stand before our eyes. In his will, Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl wrote that he requested that his remains and the remains of his close family members be brought for burial in the Jewish state when it is established. Today, we finish fulfilling this will of his, in full. But his truly great will — the building of the Jewish state — is still ongoing, and a great and significant task is laid upon us."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We all harbor respect and admiration for Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl for the giant Zionist enterprise that stands tall. Now, our gaze is focused on the foundations of the building — Judaism as the basis for Zionism, the Torah and the entire Tanakh as the foundation of identity, the chain of generations as an anchor of values and heritage. The home of Herzl's grandparents provided the roots that grew the trunk, branches, and fruits. The 19th century greatly challenged traditional Judaism in its encounter with modernity."

Netanyahu added: "At the entrance to the Prime Minister's office, the figure of Herzl is placed. When leaders from the world come for meetings in my office, I usually linger with them by the figure of Herzl and explain to them that Herzl is the modern Moses because he created the conditions that brought us to the Promised Land. For us, Herzl is a leader on the scale of the founders of nationalism like Washington in the United States. The prayers that were common on the lips of his grandfather and grandmother turned into a real action plan for their grandson."

Netanyahu concluded: "We heard today the commander of the Revolutionary Guards declaring Iran's intention to continue developing nuclear weapons. As Prime Minister of Israel, I am also determined to prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons. President Donald Trump is the greatest of our friends we have had in the White House, and the United States is our great ally, and everyone understands that we highly value our joint efforts with the US against Iran's nuclear ambitions. But I wish to clarify that the existence of Israel is not subject to negotiation. I am determined that we will do everything necessary to ensure our security and our future. Israel is a strong nation-state that trusts in the justice of its path. We have other struggles ahead of us, such as the struggle against the wave of antisemitism rising in our days, everything that works to delegitimize the State of Israel and the warriors of Israel; it must not be that the slander against IDF soldiers comes from within as well."