Israel's President Herzog Condemns Calls for Assassin's Release

President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal hosted the state memorial ceremony "Ner Yitzhak" on Thursday, marking 31 years since the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The ceremony, held annually at the President's Residence, was attended by Rabin's family, Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit, and other dignitaries.

In his address, President Herzog stated that the three bullets fired 31 years ago aimed to destroy Israel, the "Third Temple." He emphasized that the assassin's weapon was aimed at the heart of the nation, seeking to resolve disputes through violence and murder, threatening Israel's existence as a Jewish, democratic, and sovereign state. "We lost our leader, and we almost lost ourselves," Herzog remarked.

Herzog recounted a recent disturbing experience while driving from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, where he saw a sign calling for the release of Yigal Amir, Rabin's assassin. He expressed shock that such a call could be publicly displayed and met with indifference, warning that this could signal a dangerous shift in Israeli society's perception of the assassination, potentially eroding the understanding that it was an unforgivable act and an absolute red line.

"Thirty-one years is not a cooling-off period for the murder of a prime minister," Herzog declared, demanding that the assassin never be released, must finish his life in prison, and should never receive any clemency or pardon. He also addressed the upcoming elections, noting that even after 31 years, some individuals still issue shocking threats of murder against public officials, including the prime minister, ministers, Knesset members, and political leaders. "There is no place for political violence in a proper state. There is no place for violence, period," he asserted.