Israel remembers Rabin's death, legacy

JERUSALEM, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres said late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin knew a leader doesn't rest on laurels but looks ahead.

During memorial events marking the 15th anniversary of Rabin's assassination, Peres said, "Yitzhak knew that a leader does not rest on the laurels of yesterday. He leads according to a vision," Ynetnews.com reported.

"He knew that in today's revolutionary reality, one who takes his time endangers himself," Peres said. Rabin understood that "(one) who dares reaches distant and strong places."

In the ceremony Tuesday, Peres recounted the Nov. 4, 1995, a peace rally he and Rabin attended and their farewell in Tel Aviv, saying Rabin's murder is a "crime which must not be forgiven or forgotten."

He said the rally was called to marshal support for peace in the Middle East, including reaching out to the Palestinians, and that Rabin was aware of the "growing waves of hatred against him."

Israel Democracy Institute vice president Yedidya Stern, a religious Zionist, told The Jerusalem Post that the anniversary of the Rabin assassination should be marked as a Democracy Day to celebrate Israel's diversity.

Supporters of the idea said celebrating democracy was fitting, given the smooth transfer of power after Rabin's assassination demonstrated Israel is a functioning democracy.