President Isaac Herzog today (Monday) consoled the family of the late Yuval Castleman, who was accidentally killed by the security forces last week following the terrorist attack in Jerusalem.
"First of all, I come to offer my condolences. I am unable to change reality, I come to express condolences on behalf of an entire nation - I do not come just as a private person either, I come as the President of the State of Israel, to ask for forgiveness and express enormous appreciation for the hero of Israel who did something enormous and brave. Not everyone would do it," said Herzog. "He got out of the car because that's how he was raised, because he always did it, to save brothers and sisters he didn't know, and he paid with his life in a terrible and disgraceful way in my eyes."
Herzog referred to the circumstances of Castleman's death and said that "of course this requires a real in-depth investigation on all aspects. But it is important for me to say, beyond the analysis of the event itself which I think has already been discussed and will be discussed, and will receive a huge resonance here in Israel and in the world, this is also the whole matter of the reference to weapons. The responsibility, the understanding for the operation of weapons, the rules of opening fire, and how weapons are carried and in what form."
"We must not be afraid to talk about it, to put it on the table" he added and clarified. "Because we want to protect civilians and we know that there are terrorist attacks and we need to know how to take responsibility, 'Do not stand upon the blood of your neighbor', you need to do everything, but you also need to be very responsible when using weapons and the rules are meant for that."
"The people of Israel will remember Yuval Castleman all the time, because this story will continue and resonate in every possible circle that deals with the war on terror and weapons," the president concluded. "I know that you raised him, and educated him, to love the people and the country, and to serve the people and the country. I also see your amazing children and I tell you that an entire nation is crying, thinking and talking about Yuval."
