World leaders and Israeli officials mark Holocaust Remembrance Day with calls to fight antisemitism

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israel and its leaders stood firm in their commitment to ensuring that the atrocities of the past are never repeated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Twitter/X that Israel had learned its lesson and kept its promise of "never again." President Isaac Herzog echoed this sentiment, warning that the world has not fully grasped the lessons of history and that antisemitism is surging globally. He implored world leaders to move beyond empty words and actively fight antisemitism before it is too late.

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Our nation learned its lesson. I promised that there would not be another Holocaust, and this year, I kept that promise. Never again.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, also took to Twitter/X, asserting that while hatred has not disappeared, Israel is no longer defenseless. He highlighted the existence of a sovereign state and a strong army capable of defending its people and defeating its enemies, a stark contrast to the vulnerability of the past.

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81 years [after the Holocaust], the world has not fully learned the lessons of the darkest chapter in human history.

However, the solemn occasion was marked by sharp exchanges, particularly between Israeli officials and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz expressed deep concern over developments in the Palestinian territories and the de facto annexation of the West Bank. This drew a furious response from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who accused the German Chancellor of hypocrisy and lecturing Israel on morality.

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Empty words will not cover up inaction...You must fight antisemitism with all means and in every place, before it is too late.

Smotrich directly addressed Merz, drawing a chilling parallel to the Holocaust, stating that the days when Germans dictated where Jews could live are over. He defiantly declared that Israel would not be forced into ghettos again, especially not in their own land, and would not apologize for their actions. This strong rebuke, echoed by Religious Zionist Party MK Simcha Rothman, underscores the deep-seated historical sensitivities and the current political tensions shaping the discourse around the conflict.

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We will never forgive those who committed massacres of our people. Hatred has not disappeared, but has evolved.