Over the years, when I've gone, I've gone to the Mount Herzl military cemetery in the afternoon to visit a fallen comrade while avoiding the crowds and traffic.

Today was the first time I went in the morning for the ceremony.

It was overwhelming. There must have been hundreds of thousands of people there. It felt that way.

Yet when the siren rang out there was utter silence. When Hatikva was sung, everyone sung it quietly together. When Kaddish was said, everyone said Amen.

In all my years here, I've never seen anything like it.

I saw old friends who also came to pay their respects. Friends I haven't seen in a long time.

To paraphrase what the Prime Minister said in his speech, those who have fallen live on in our hearts.