Mr Robinson said,
"It is essential that we mark this first anniversary of the brutal and callous terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel on 7th October 2023. For many in Israel, it is 12 months later but life has not moved on as their loved ones are still missing.
We send our deepest condolences to the hundreds of families who have been left bereaved by this unimaginable atrocity. In the Psalms, we are told, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning"
We are here today because, though many in Israel continue to grieve, we can cling to the promise, and the hope, that dawn will come and that brighter days are still ahead.
My thoughts and prayers are also with the survivors who will carry the physical and mental scars of their ordeal for the rest of their lives.
And for our part, the Democratic Unionist Party will always defend the right of every individual to live in peace, to feel safe and secure in our community and to practice their faith without fear of persecution. That is true of Israel and our desire for peace in the wider Middle East. Let me be absolutely clear - Israel has a legitimate right to defend itself.”