People around the world commemorated 25 years since the murder of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on Wednesday.
In Israel, The Yitzhak Rabin Center lit 25,000 candles in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square to mark the anniversary. Mr Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist in the square which is now named for him on 4th November 1995, after addressing a peace rally.
The exhibit builds on the Jewish tradition of lighting a candle in memory of a loved one on the anniversary of their death.
It capped 24 hours of ceremonies and events held nationwide in memory of the left-wing leader. Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin lit a memorial candle in a ceremony at his residence.
Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden remembered Rabin in a tweet: “I join Israelis in honouring Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin z”l, 25 years after his assassination. He led a life of service to his country and its security — and bravely gave his life pursuing peace. I was honoured to call him a friend”.
Rabin was a legendary Israeli military leader, commanding a unit in the pre-state Palmach fighting force and then rising through the ranks as a career soldier to become Israel Defense Forces chief of staff at the time of Israel’s Six Day War victory.
He then launched a political career that saw him serve two stints as Prime Minister of Israel.
After he was elected PM for a second time in 1992, he sought to make peace with the Palestinians, trying in vain to forge a permanent accord with PLO leader Yasser Arafat.
In 1994, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with then-Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Arafat for his part in signing the Oslo peace accords.
