Netanyahu delivered an English message during his speech at the start of the Holocaust Remembrance Day events in Jerusalem, speaking amid the ongoing war with Hamas, which we has accused of being the modern-day Nazis. The speech took an unusual turn when he shifted language since Netanyahu normally does not use this forum to speak in English.
This time, however, with the war with Hamas continuing for some 7 months and with more than 130 hostages still in captivity and immense pressure on Israel not to complete its conquest of the Gaza Strip by entering Rafah, the prime minister felt it was important to pause his Hebrew speech and repeat critical lines in Hebrew, perhaps in order to dispel the notion that there was a ceasefire in the offing that would end the war.
Video: Netanyahu delivers a message in English during his Holocaust Remembrance Day speech / Credit: Yad Vashem
The following is the verbatim message:
In the Holocaust the Jewish people were totally defenseless against those who sought our destruction no nation came to our aid
Today, we confront again confront enemies bent on our destruction. I say to the leaders of the world: No amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself.
As the prime minister of Israel – the one and only Jewish state – I pledge here today from Jerusalem, on this Holocaust Remembrance Day: If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone. But we know we are not alone because countless decent people around the world support our just cause. I say to you: We will defeat our genocidal enemies. Never Again is now.