Israeli President Vows Assassin Yigal Amir Will Never Be Freed

A state ceremony, "Ner L'Yitzhak," was held at the President's Residence in Jerusalem to mark 31 years since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and 26 years since the death of his wife, Leah Rabin. Dalia Rabin, the daughter of the late prime minister, stated that the ceremony was "very important" to her mother and acknowledged the difficult and complex period Israel is currently experiencing, with elections looming and the ongoing war's aftermath.

She emphasized that her father was the victim of a "political assassination" by a religious Jew who emerged from the darkness and shot Rabin in the back to halt a diplomatic process. Despite the societal divisions and the charged atmosphere surrounding the upcoming elections, Dalia Rabin stated she was committed to maintaining statehood and extending a hand to all factions of Israeli society, as her father's memorial center promotes democracy, tolerance, and de-escalation.

President Isaac Herzog declared that the assassin's weapon was aimed not only at Rabin but at the "heart of the nation." He expressed shock at seeing a billboard on Highway 1 calling for the release of Yigal Amir, stating that the mere possibility of such a call being publicly voiced and met with indifference should be deeply concerning. Herzog asserted that the call to release the assassin represents a dangerous possibility that Israeli society might cease to view his act as fundamentally forbidden and a line that should never be crossed.

"Thirty-one years is not a cooling-off period for the murder of a prime minister," Herzog stated, emphasizing that the distance from the crime does not diminish its severity. He unequivocally declared the national imperative that the assassin "will never be released" and must "finish his life in prison," with no possibility of parole or clemency, a stance that "must not be challenged in any way."

President Herzog also addressed the threats and incitement against elected officials, noting that 31 years after Rabin's murder, individuals still issue "shocking threats of murder against elected officials" or engage in incitement to political violence. He concluded by stating, "There is no place for violence, period."

The ceremony was attended by Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit, Minister Gila Gamliel representing the government, Members of Knesset Yair Golan, Efrat Reiten, and Evgeny Sova, Dani Yatom, and extended members of the Rabin family.