After an emotion-filled condolence call on Saturday night with the family of fallen Border Police St.-Sgt. Barel Hadaria Shmueli, President Isaac Herzog on Sunday addressed soldiers stationed next to the Gaza Strip.
“Barel died a hero,” he said. “We must not allow the arguments within Israel society around incidents like this, which are impossibly painful and tragic, to give succor to our enemies beyond the fence.”
Herzog thanked the soldiers for their devotion to duty and urged them to look after themselves. “We are praying for you to return home in peace,” he said.
Though familiar with army bases in border areas, this was Herzog’s first tour of duty to soldiers in the field in his capacity as president. He was accompanied by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Aviv Kohavi and briefed on security challenges by OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Eliezer Toledano. He also visited an Iron Dome air-defense battery.
Herzog shared a Rosh Hashanah toast with the soldiers and saluted them. He then traveled to Sderot, where he met community leaders and local officials. He inaugurated the Yigal Allon School together with Mayor Alon Davidi.
Herzog said he was aware of the environment into which the children of Sderot are born and what they and their parents have to endure. “I would not advise any enemy to test us,” he said.
Herzog visited Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where he met with Deputy Defense Minister Alon Shuster, Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council head Ofir Libstein, Hof Ashkelon Regional Council head Itamar Revivo and Sdot Negev Regional Council head Tamir Idan.
They gave Herzog their assessments of the situation in their regions and spoke of preparations for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.