“We are in the eye of the storms, facing many challenges, some of the most difficult the security and political leadership has ever experienced”

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday said that the Israeli occupation forces are prepared for the challenges ahead of it and that “Israel” remains the “strongest state” in the region.

“As the minister of defense charged with the safety of the state's citizens, I can tell you that the IDF - under the leadership of a former paratrooper, Chief of General-Staff Benny Gantz - is prepared and ready for the challenges facing us, today and tomorrow, from near and from far,” Barak said at a ceremony honoring fallen paratroopers.

“We are in the eye of the storms, facing many challenges, some of the most difficult the security and political leadership has ever experienced.” He added that: “Israel is still a strong country and we must act to keep it that way in years to come.”