Following are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting today:
"Yesterday, the fourth President of the State of Israel, Prof. Ephraim Katzir, passed away. He was a rare combination of personal ability and public mission. He divided his life between science and security, between voluntarism and education, between achievements and modesty. He was a very, very modest man. His life was one of struggles, challenges, successes and accomplishments, all of which were for the good of the State of Israel. Well before he became President, he had built an important layer in our national life in this country. As President, he continued this special combination and brought his many abilities and modesty to the institution of the presidency. The State of Israel and its citizens have lost one of their dearest sons, a man who did everything for the good of the nation. Even is his later years, confined to a wheelchair, he took care to attend various ceremonies and fly the flag – if it may be said, out of a profound commitment to the State, as an outstanding and genuine Israeli patriot. He was an historic figure who contributed to the development, security and establishment of the State of Israel. On behalf of the Government, we bow our heads and convey our condolences to the Katzir family.
Today we commence the home front exercise in the Government. The home front exercise today is already considered routine. It took a while to plan, it is carried out on an annual basis and reflects the special way in which we lead our lives, which on second glace is not so routine. We are required to protect the State of Israel, its cities and its various installations, against missile attacks, rockets and other means. Our capability develops in parallel with that of our enemies, and perhaps the most important thing is that we adopt means, routines, methods of coping to allow ourselves to live in this land, this region, under any condition. I think that the very knowledge that the State of Israel prepares from exercise to exercise, improves its capabilities, is capable of better protecting its citizens – in itself ultimately distances the possibility that we will need to utilize these means. In any case, this is a routine action unrelated to any special event of one kind or another and is unrelated to any intelligence warning. It is linked to the reality which we must prepare for in order to defend our citizens."
