Netanyahu Interrupted at Officers’ Graduation, Crowd Responds with Cheers

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was interrupted on Thursday during a speech at the graduation ceremony for combat officers at Bahad 1, when one attendee shouted protest as he spoke about a friend who was killed while serving in Sayeret Matkal. The crowd responded with repeated chants of support for Netanyahu, including “Heida Bibi.”

In a long address, Netanyahu told the new officers and cadets that they represent the combination of quality and quantity on which the IDF relies. He thanked bereaved families and wounded soldiers, saying their courage accompanies him in hospital and rehabilitation-center visits, and said the young commanders reflect the spirit and mission of the current generation of fighters.

Netanyahu said the current war is historically significant, comparing its importance to the War of Independence. He said the October 7 attack was part of a broader plan to destroy Israel, but that Israel had reversed the situation. “Only a blind person would say there are no achievements,” he said, describing the operations “With a Lion” and “Roar of the Lion” as a “great achievement.” He added that the military tasks are not finished and that there is still work to do against Iran and Hamas.

He said the war changed the rules of the region and, just as importantly, changed Israeli society itself, adding that Israel had “broken through the barrier of fear.” Netanyahu said Israel had struck senior figures in terror organizations and the Iranian axis, naming Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, Mohammed Deif and Hassan Nasrallah. He also said Israel controls more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, has created buffer zones in southern Lebanon and Syria, and will not withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon as long as it is needed.

On Iran, Netanyahu said Israel will not allow the regime to obtain nuclear weapons, whether or not an international agreement is signed. He ended by urging the new officers to lead by personal example, responsibility and a sense of mission, saying Israel’s strength rests first and foremost on its people and their fighting spirit.