Boaz Levy, CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries and one of the leaders of the Arrow project was announced as one of the honorary torch-lighters at the upcoming national Independence Day ceremony.
The Arrow project created an anti-ballistic missile defense system for Israel that has been used several times since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
IAI celebrated this decision, with its chairman, former Labor Party head Amir Peretz, saying, "This [decision] expresses gratitude to the workers of IAI and all of the defense industries which constitute a wall and a central pillar, together with the security system and the IDF, in defense of the State of Israel."
Upon hearing the announcement, Levy said, "I will carry this torch with pride on behalf of the employees of IAI, the managers and directors, but also on behalf of all of the defense industries.
"The people of IAI have been working for years in the face of the threats against the State of Israel, and the excellence of their work is reflected in the results we see during the current war, with the full support and cooperation of the Defense Ministry and the IDF," he concluded. "I am proud to maintain Israel's security against any threat, however complex it may be."