(JNS) These are historic moments for the people of Israel and the State of Israel. During more than two years of a tough war on multiple fronts, Israel as a nation has shown extraordinary strength, determination and resilience. We have succeeded in restoring Israel’s image of strength in the region and the world from its low point after Oct. 7, 2023.

Israel’s achievements in the existential campaign forced upon us are immense: the crushing of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, and the removal of the stranglehold they sought to place on Israel; the elimination of leaders of the terror organizations—Hassan Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and others; the severe blow to Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic-missile program; the downfall of Bashar Assad’s regime, which ruled Syria under Iran’s and Hezbollah’s patronage, and served their interests; damage to the Syrian army and its capabilities; extremely severe blows to the Houthis and their leadership; and the capture of buffer zones on different fronts.

Israel also withstood the moral and ethical test of its commitment to return its hostages. Therefore, today is a holiday within a holiday.

Israel fulfilled this commitment under the most complex conditions imaginable. I don’t think there is any other nation in the world that would or could have withstood such a test in the same way. This commitment was expressed by the ongoing striving to release the hostages and also in the way that the war itself was conducted.

At the government meeting, I had the privilege to vote for the third time (after November 2023 and January 2025) in favor of a framework for the release of all of the hostages taken from their work and homes on Oct. 7. I did so with pride and great joy.

Still, I do not underestimate the heavy price involved in the release of despicable terrorists.

Returning the hostages was at the center of our diplomatic work throughout the entire course of the war. I have been available to the families of the hostages for anything and at any hour. I have seen, up close, their anguish and suffering, which has been beyond measure. I am moved, like all the people of Israel, at the imminent reunion with their loved ones for whom they have waited and yearned for two years.

Thank you to the Israel Defense Forces and our security forces. Thank you to our wonderful commanders and fighters, descendants of the Maccabees. Without the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers, active duty and reservists, we would not have reached this day. I bow my head before the bereaved families who paid the heaviest price. I salute your sons and daughters who gave their lives. The people of Israel owe you an immense and profound debt.

I am proud of my decision to join the government in the most difficult period in Israel’s history and contribute to the state to the best of my ability. Thank God, I had the privilege of being a partner in important historic decisions, some of them bold. Responsibility means bearing the heavy burden of difficult decisions and our shared national campaign. Responsibility means fighting ceaselessly for the country in its darkest hours. Not to attack and smear from the podium.

In politics, one must see means, not ends. Whoever refused to bear this burden—and certainly, whoever preferred to fight the government during wartime against an enemy—failed in their judgment and missed the historic hour.

I would like to praise the leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in this difficult campaign. The prime minister withstood difficult trials. Few leaders in the country or the world have faced similar or comparable trials. He showed resilience in the face of tremendous pressure. He did not give up ambitious goals and bold moves. He knew when it was right to hold the fire in different arenas. He demonstrated steadfastness in achieving all the war’s objectives. I am convinced that, from a historical perspective, it is good for Israel that during this campaign, he was the one who led it.

US President Donald Trump is a great friend of Israel. He is an extraordinary leader with the ability to seize and create historic opportunities. The people of Israel owe him a great deal for his decisions and moves. His contributions to the release of hostages in January and this month are dramatic. We will receive him here with the honor and love that he deserves.

Israel’s challenges are not over. We live in a tough region where our existence is based on our strength and a willingness to fight for our survival. Israel did not give up on any of the war’s goals, as determined by the Israeli Security Cabinet. They are all, in fact, included in the Trump plan for peace. More tests await us. We have always said we prefer to achieve them by political means. We have not given up on ending Hamas’s rule in Gaza, nor the removal of the threat it poses to Israel and its citizens.

I hope that in the near future, new political horizons will open up. We have an interest in expanding the circle of peace and normalization in the region. It is important to note that even in these very challenging two years, not a single Arab state that signed peace and normalization agreements with us has withdrawn from them. In the past year, in which I have led the Israel Foreign Ministry, I fought under difficult conditions to preserve and advance Israel’s relations with countries around the world. We opened new embassies in three countries during this difficult year. We fought countless diplomatic containment battles during the recent period. They are not over. I intend in the coming period to work to break new ground in the international arena.

Hold your heads high with pride. As it says in the book of Samuel: “The Eternity of Israel will not lie.”

Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates