President Herzog and Defense Minister Galant Visit Bereaved Family in Beit El
Beit El, Israel – President Yitzhak (Boji) Herzog and Defense Minister Yoav Galant paid a visit to the bereaved family of Colonel David Yehuda Yitzchak, who tragically lost his life in an operation last week in Jenin. The President and Defense Minister were accompanied by Shay Alon, the head of the Beit El Local Council.
Expressing his condolences, President Herzog stated, “It is not possible to change the reality, but all the people of Israel are suffering from the reality together with you. David Yehuda’s rare love for the people came from you, it was inherent in his personality. It’s hard to think about it now, but this goodness will pass on. There will be more joys later, and the job is to spread his goodness further. It was a very important campaign, and your son sacrificed his life for the sake of the people of Israel, for the safety of all the citizens of Israel.”
Father Moshe, addressing the President, reflected on his son’s character, saying, “David was like you, Honorable President, he was a servant to the people of Israel. By always being good, in the army, in personality, in the unceasing concern for the people and the State of Israel. He was never interested in identity or political ideology, he did not distinguish between origin, background or worldview, for him, the entire nation of Israel is always one big family.”
Mother Amunah also shared her thoughts, revealing, “Just as he did not share anything with us during his service, which was completely unknown to us, David Yehuda also did not tell us that he entered Jenin. He always said that it was a maximum arrest and everything was calm and good, everything was always good with him. I told him to take care of himself, and I didn’t really want to know how much he was putting himself at risk.”
Defense Minister Yoav Galant emphasized the importance of the operation, saying, “This was not a necessary action but an extremely necessary one. We were at the right time and charged a very heavy price, and it also charged us a heavy price. Thanks to heroes of Israel like David Yehuda and his friends, the country stands. Without them, we have no right to exist. The harsh environment in the Middle East does not accept us. If we are strong enough, then they make agreements with us, but they don’t want to accept us. If we have a strong army and strong security, they have no ability to face us. It is mainly in the highest quality units on land.”
Lt. Col. M., the commander of the Agoz unit, praised David’s character, stating, “David portrayed an ideal figure for a fighter. He was very sensitive and also aggressive.”
Shay Alon, the head of the Beit El local council, highlighted David’s contributions to the community, saying, “David was very connected to the community, he was always interested and wanted to add something good. He founded the Nahal movement for children with special needs and continued to come and volunteer even during his very short vacations from the army. Our settlement grew thanks to people like this, thanks to this special family like the rest of the residents.”
The visit by President Herzog and Defense Minister Galant serves as a testament to the nation’s unity and support for the bereaved family during this difficult time. Their presence signifies the importance of honoring the sacrifices made by soldiers like Colonel David Yehuda Yitzchak for the safety and wellbeing of Israel and its citizens.