Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed the importance of accurately remembering the Holocaust on Monday. Speaking to foreign diplomats at an event, he said that Israel expects every country, including Poland, to “defend and reveal the truth about the Holocaust.”
At an event attended by foreign diplomats on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed the importance of remembering the truth about the Holocaust. In his speech, Netanyahu singled out Poland, which has been advancing a bill that seeks to criminalize accusations of Polish complicity in the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people.
“The truth about the Holocaust must always be studied. It must always be remembered,” he said. “Israel works closely with our partners around the world to defend and reveal the truth about the Holocaust. We expect to do that with every country, including Poland.”
The event was held in order to dedicate a plaque honoring 36 diplomats who saved Jewish people during the Holocaust. The diplomats were from 21 countries and have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.
“Above all, future generations must internalize the lessons of the Holocaust,” Netanyahu continued. “I think the most important lesson for all humanity is that hatred, extreme ideologies, these must always be confronted early when there is time to nip them at the bud.”
“We Jews have learned to believe our enemies when they call for our annihilation,” he added. “We’ve learned that we must be able to defend ourselves by ourselves against any potential threat. The State of Israel not only has internalized these lessons, it practices it. We hold our hand out to peace for any of our neighbors who wish peace with us, and there are quite a few, and their number is growing, I’m happy to say, and I hope it will extend to all.”
The bill has not yet been confirmed by Polish President Andrzej Duda. However, Duda has expressed his support for the bill and is expected to approve it, which would make it a law. The Polish parliament passed the controversial draft legislation last week, causing outrage in Israel and even in the United States.
Original article posted on Jerusalem Online.
