Israeli visit a military cemetery before the beginning of a ceremony marking Israel’s Memorial Day, commemorating fallen soldiers of Israel’s wars and Israeli victims of hostile attacks, in Jerusalem May 3, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

i24 News – Israel’s Memorial Day, Yom HaZikaron, officially began at 8 pm Tuesday night with the sound of the siren for one minute followed by a ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City.

The national holiday honors fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism a day before celebrating Independence Day, which this year is the Jewish state’s 74th.

President Isaac Herzog in a speech at the Western Wall Plaza echoed remarks made earlier in the day by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, with both leaders calling for unity.

“Our sons and daughters, who fell in defense of our state, fought together and fell together,” Herzog said.

“They did not ask, nor did anyone ask them, who was right-wing and who was left-wing. Who was religious. Who was secular. Who was Jewish and who was not Jewish. Nor did grief pose these questions, to them or to you. They fell as Israelis, defending Israel.”

“In cemeteries, arguments fall silent,” Herzog continued. “Between the headstones, not a sound. A silence that demands that we fulfill, together, their single dying wish: the resurrection of Israel. The building of Israel. United, consolidated, responsible for each other.”

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi also spoke at the Western Wall event.

At 11 am Wednesday morning, a second two-minute siren will sound across the country, followed by memorial services at Israel’s 52 military cemeteries.

The number of fallen soldiers since 1860 defending the pre-state Yishuv and Israel stands at 24,068.

According to the National Insurance Institute, some 3,199 civilians were killed in hostilities since the establishment of the state.