Israel remembers fallen from Lebanon war

JERUSALEM, July 8 (UPI) -- Despite the controversy surrounding the Second Lebanon War, everyone is united in the need to commemorate the fallen soldiers, an Israeli army general said.

Bereaved families of 121 soldiers killed in the war, attended a service in northern Israel marking the third anniversary, Wednesday. The families also toured areas along Israel's northern border that overlook the battle sites in southern Lebanon.

"The cause was just and disrupted an unbearable reality in the north, with Hezbollah deployed along the border, its operatives initiated terror attacks once every few months and interpreted our desire for a peaceful existence as a weakness to be taken advantage of," Maariv quoted Northern Commander Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizencott as telling the families.

David Einhorn, whose son Yonathan was killed in the war, said it will be interesting to see if any politicians will remember the third anniversary and attend a state ceremony at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl military cemetery, in the evening.

"Let us see which politicians remember today is three years since the war erupted, and will come to the cemetery in Jerusalem and meet the bereaved families," he said.