The Sharons' graves
Photo: Roee Idan
Third anniversary of Sharon's death, 'an Israeli hero'
Some 200 attend the memorial service for Israel's eleventh prime minister; President Rivlin calls him 'one of a kind' and 'a symbol of the power and ingenuity of the IDF.'
Some 200 persons attended the memorial ceremony on Friday morning for former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who died three years ago, outside Sharon's Sycamore Farm in the Negev.
In attendance at the ceremony at the gravesite of the eleventh prime minister, who is buried alongside his second wife Lily, were President Reuven Rivlin, Minister of Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbi, and Leader of the Opposition Isaac Herzog.
Nechama and Reuven Rivlin at the ceremony (Photo: Roee Idan)
The First Couple alongside Gilad Sharon (Photo: Roee Idan)
He added, "Arik was one of a kind: an illustrious commander, perhaps one of the great commanders of the IDF. An Israeli hero. Focused on his goal. Fearless. Limitless. The only frontier before him was opportunity. Walls and fortifications were challenges to be conquered and overcome. A man full of initiative and movement. Even if it seemed that he was standing still, he was always looking for the way to reach the top.
Lily (L) and Ariel Sharon's graves (Photo: Roee Idan)
"He became a symbol. A symbol of the power and ingenuity of the IDF. A symbol of courage and especially victory at all costs. But before he was a leader and public figure, he was a man of the earth—of the good land."
Gilad Sharon, the late prime minister's son, read a poem in memory of his father. The singer Dikla performed Shalom Hanoch's song A Guitar and a Violin as well as her own composition, Ve'im Prida.
