IN MEMORY OF FALLEN SLA SOLDIERS

More than 20 years after the withdrawal from Lebanon, Israel dedicated on Sunday in Metulla a monument in memory of fallen Southern Lebanon Army (SLA) soldiers. Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi, Metulla Regional Council head David Azulay and others thanked surviving members of the army and their families for their service and dedication to Israel and promised to better incorporate them into Israeli society. Gantz was one of the last soldiers to leave Lebanon in 2000 and fought alongside many of the SLA commanders. ‘The border was closed, but for you, there was never closure,’ Kohavi said to the bereaved families in attendance. ‘You were born there, raised your families there, patriotically created the SLA and fought terrorism. I saw your dedication and your bravery up close. Our languages were different, but our values were the same. We practiced different religions but had the same mission.’