President Isaac Herzog declared Thursday that Yigal Amir must remain behind bars for the rest of his life, firmly opposing any pardon, sentence reduction or commutation for the assassin of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Speaking at the state memorial ceremony for Yitzhak and Leah Rabin at Mount Herzl, five days before the Knesset elections, Herzog coupled his rejection of clemency with a warning against political violence and inflammatory rhetoric.

“The vile murderer must spend the rest of his life in prison. Period. Without any reduction, pardon, or commutation whatsoever,” Herzog said. “This is a red line that we, as a society, must uphold.”

Herzog emphasized that condemnation of Rabin’s assassination should transcend political divisions and disagreements over the late prime minister’s policies.

“A person does not have to agree with the decisions of a prime minister or any political leader to be horrified by his murder,” he said. “He does not have to join that leader’s political camp to recognize the disaster inflicted upon the entire country.”

The memorial day, Herzog added, belongs to all Israelis and carries no “political entrance exam,” only a shared obligation of personal and national responsibility.

Turning to the approaching vote, Herzog said elections should represent democracy at its finest, while cautioning that the tense atmosphere could lead to dangerous consequences.

“I stand here and warn: Words kill!” he declared. “Therefore, candidates, leaders, opinion makers, and commentators—all of you—be careful with your words.”

He urged candidates across the political spectrum and the public to remember Rabin’s warning that violence erodes the foundations of Israeli democracy.

“Debate must be respected. Violence must be rejected,” Herzog said. “We must not allow room for violence from any side or of any kind. The red lines must be clear and unmistakable. Remember: Elections are not a civil war.”

Herzog stressed that every political camp must recognize its opponents’ right to win and respect the electoral process before voting, on Election Day and afterward.

“My right to win an election rests on my willingness to recognize your right to win it,” he said.

While disagreement and argument are essential, Herzog added, Israelis must remember that a political opponent remains a neighbor, a brother, a fellow soldier and a partner.

Addressing the Rabin family, Herzog paid tribute to Rabin’s military and public service, recalling his roles as a Palmach commander, IDF chief of staff during the Six-Day War, ambassador to Washington, Knesset member, defense minister and prime minister.

He also quoted Rabin’s final speech: “In a democracy, there can be disagreements, but the decision will be made through democratic elections.”

Herzog said the responsibility arising from those words would be tested in the coming weeks through public rhetoric, the boundaries Israelis uphold and their willingness to accept a lawful electoral outcome.

“Before these graves, we stand in humility, but we promise: We will do everything to protect it for the sake of future generations,” he concluded.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)