Netanyahu at Yad Vashem: ‘There Will Not Be Another Holocaust’

Israel marked Holocaust Remembrance Day Monday night with the state opening ceremony at Yad Vashem, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared: “As Prime Minister of Israel, I promised — there will not be another Holocaust.”

The ceremony, pre-recorded due to security tensions and held in the shadow of an Iran ceasefire, framed the memory of the Holocaust alongside Israel’s current military posture and concerns over rising global antisemitism.

Netanyahu tied the lessons of the Holocaust directly to Israel’s recent campaign against Iran, saying: “Together we crushed the evil regime that sought to develop nuclear weapons and produce tens of thousands of deadly ballistic missiles intended to destroy us.” He presented the operation as part of Israel’s broader effort to prevent existential threats, noting Israel’s cooperation with the United States.

He also issued a sharp rebuke of European countries that declined to take part in the fighting, stating: “We are defending Europe, which has forgotten so much since the Holocaust.”

President Isaac Herzog, who spoke earlier in the ceremony, focused on internal unity within Israel. “A family can argue — but it must not tear itself apart,” he said, warning against divisions within Israeli society, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks.

Herzog also addressed world leaders, urging stronger action against antisemitism. “Empty words will not cover for inaction. This is the time for courageous action, lest it be too late,” he said, describing a growing wave of antisemitic incidents worldwide.

The ceremony was held without an audience in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines and was recorded in advance. This year’s event centered on the theme “The Jewish Family,” with Holocaust survivor and Yad Vashem Council Chairman Rabbi Israel Meir Lau lighting the memorial flame. Six torches were lit by Holocaust survivors, symbolizing the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, alongside personal stories presented during the ceremony.

Nationwide commemorations will continue Tuesday, with a two-minute siren scheduled for 10:00 a.m. In the event of incoming fire, authorities said the siren would be interrupted and replaced by a standard air raid alert. Official ceremonies will follow, including a wreath-laying event at Yad Vashem, the “Every Person Has a Name” reading of victims, and a state memorial at the Yizkor Hall. Events will conclude in the evening at Kibbutz Lohamei HaGetaot.

According to official data, approximately 111,000 Holocaust survivors currently live in Israel. Globally, the Jewish population stands at 15.8 million, still below the 16.6 million recorded on the eve of World War II in 1939.

Yad Vashem announced last year that it had identified the names of five million Holocaust victims after a 70-year effort. The institution said technological tools, including artificial intelligence, may help identify an additional 250,000 names, though many victims are expected to remain unknown.

As Israel marks Yom HaShoah under ongoing security strain, the ceremony underscored how the memory of the Holocaust continues to shape the country’s policies, warnings, and sense of national mission.