Marking 24 years since 9/11: Israel honors the victims at Jerusalem Memorial

On the 24th anniversary of 9/11, American and Israeli leaders underscored their shared fight against terrorism, as tributes from New York to Jerusalem honored the nearly 3,000 lives lost and renewed calls for vigilance.

It’s a day nearly every American remembers – where they were and what they were doing – Sept. 11, 2001. A day frozen in time as video footage united viewers and citizens in a way only a tragedy does.

When the first plane, American Airlines (AA) Flight 11, struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, passersby and local news reporters were stunned. Videos showed people scrambling for shelter as debris rained down on them for blocks.

At first, the incident was reported as a tragic accident. But just 17 minutes later, United Airlines (UA) Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower, confirming the unthinkable – this was a coordinated attack.

Although the South Tower was hit second, it collapsed first at 9:59 a.m. The North Tower followed at 10:28 a.m.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. was also struck by terrorists piloting AA Flight 77, while UA Flight 93 crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers heroically attempted to retake the plane.

In total, 2,977 victims lost their lives in the terrorist attacks, excluding the 19 hijackers who died.

One World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower, is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center. The National 9/11 Memorial and Museum honors the victims lives at the site where the towers once stood.

After years of planning, public input, and a global design competition, the chosen concept – “Reflecting Absence” – was created by Israeli-American architect Michael Arad and U.S. landscape architect Peter Walker.

Construction of the site began on March 13, 2006. The memorial opened on September 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of the attacks, and the museum followed in 2014 – opening first to victims’ families on May 15 and then to the public on May 21.

Outside of the United States, the only memorial that lists the names of every victim is located in Israel.

The 9/11 Living Memorial, just outside of Jerusalem, features a 30-foot sculpture depicting an American flag transforming into a flame of liberty and hope. The base even incorporates a piece of steel salvaged from the ruins of the Twin Towers.

On Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar joined in remembering America’s grief on the 24th anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

Posting on his 𝕏 account, he wrote, “Remember 9/11. Remember the victims. We stand together in our shared fight for freedom and against terror.”

On Wednesday night, the eve of the 9/11 anniversary, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation. He drew a connection between 9/11 and Israel’s "Black Shabbat" tragedy on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas murdered 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 251 into Gaza. The prime minister affirmed the shared commitment of Israel and the United States to confront and eradicate terrorism at its source.

“What did America do in the wake of September 11th? It promised to hunt down the terrorists who committed this heinous crime, wherever they may be,” Netanyahu stated. “Well, yesterday, we acted along those lines. We went after the terrorist masterminds who committed the October 7th massacre.”

As Israel joins America in remembering 9/11, the Jerusalem memorial stands as both a symbol of shared grief and a declaration of shared resolve: to honor the victims, and to confront terror at its source.