Rabin: Elazar Could Not Bear the Weight of Sole Blame

David (“Dado”) Elazar was laid to rest with full military honors at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery here this afternoon. President Ephraim Katzir, Premier Yitzhak Rabin ministers, army generals and thousands of ordinary Israelis were among the mourners who paid their last respects to the Yom Kippur War Chief of Staff.

At the open graveside. Rabin praised Elazar’s “unparalleled courage” in facing the post-Yom Kippur War reality–a reality in which he alone had been made to carry full brunt of blame for the army’s state of unpreparedness at the on-set of the war. “He bore this burden silently and courageously–but his heart could eventually bear it no longer, and he fell…” Rabin said. “When the full story of the Yom Kippur War is told-Dado will no longer be amongst us.” the Premier added.

SYMBOLIZED TOTAL DEVOTION

According to halacha, there are no eulogies during the month of Nissan, and Rabin therefore confined himself to a brief appreciation at the graveside. He recalled Elazar’s earliest days as a fighter and commander in the crack Palmach brigade during the War of Independence. The young Elazar played a vital role in wresting south Jerusalem from the Arab Legion, the Premier said. (Rabin was himself a senior Palmach officer under Gen. Yigal Allon.)

Elazar’s life, said Rabin, symbolized total devotion to the cause of the Jewish national revival and the upbuilding of Israel’s defensive strength: “Dado was one of out most excellent warriors…. He reflected all the best qualities of the Jewish fighter: courage, comradeship in arms, heroism, magnanimity in victory, a deep attachment to the land and to the people….”

It was Elazar, said Rabin, who had led Zahal from the disastrous start of the Yom Kippur War–whose significance he clearly understood–to final victory. He had always accepted his responsibility as Chief of Staff for the opening situation–but objected to having to shoulder the blame alone.