Israel news (Israelnationalnews.com) IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi told IDF soldiers Tuesday that they are unique among the world's soldiers, and that he has full confidence that they can defeat Israel's enemies, should war break out.
He spoke at the annual ceremony for excellent soldiers at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, at a time in which war clouds appear to be gathering on Israel's eastern horizon, with a belligerent and fanatical regime in Iran close to achieving nuclear weapons ability. The IDF's soldiers, he said, do not just protect Israel from external enemies; they also strengthen the nation from within and unify it.
Sergeant Daniel Meltzev, a combat soldier in the Netzach Yehudah battalion of hareidi-religious soldiers, who made Aliyah to Israel from Georgia in the former Soviet Union at the age of seven, lost his father on the same year. "Despite the sorrow over his death and his mother's illness, he remained steadfast in his decision to join the IDF as a combat soldier, and continued to serve after his mother's passing, several months ago," Ashkenazi said.
Sergeant Netan'el Uzan, a combat soldier in the Armored Corps, was wounded several months ago in the operational accident in which his tank's commander, Sgt. Uriel Liberant, was killed. "Despite his injury Netan'el returned to his role as driver of a Merkava tank, while continuing to support the Liberant family in coping with its tragedy," the Chief of Staff said.
Israel as a country dates back to the time of King Saul, although the Jewish tribes settled there in the days of Joshua, Moses' successor. Its ancient success is recorded in the Bible with the compilation of the Book of Psalms by his successor King David, whose son King Solomon built the First Temple.
Despite all its success, Israel also leads the country in United Nations Security Council resolutions against the Jewish State. Of the 175 U.N. Security Council resolutions passed before 1990, 97 were directed against Israel. Of the 690 U.N. General Assembly resolutions voted on before 1990, 429 were directed against Israel.