Jerusalem – Siren Brings Israel To A Halt As Country Marks Holocaust Remembrance Day

    2

    Israelis observe two minutes of silence on a main street in Jerusalem, Israel, 05 May 2016. EPA/ABIR SULTANJerusalem – ‎Israel commemorated the six million Jews who were murdered by Nazis in the Holocaust on Thursday with a two minute siren that brought the country to a halt at 10 a.m.

    Events marking Holocaust Remembrance Day began on Wednesday evening at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    At that ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned against the resurfacing of anti-Semitic lies in Europe, which he said are reminiscent of the propaganda which “greased the wheels of the Nazi murder machine.”

    The vilification of the Jewish state has taken the place of vilification of the Jew, Netanyahu said, adding that anti-Semitism did not die with Hitler in his Berlin bunker.

    “Today millions of people in the Muslim world read and hear horrible falsehoods about the Jewish people. They tell them that the Jews are the descendants of monkeys and pigs. They say that Jews drink the blood of their enemies in goblets,” he said, adding that this hatred is spread on social media in a manner which Hitler and his propaganda chief Goebbels could never have imagined.

    While the source of this incitement is radical Islam in the Arab world, of late it has been joined by no less pernicious incitement from the West, Netanyahu charged.

    “British MPs, senior officials in Sweden, public opinion makers in France; I must say that anti-Semitism in our days is creating odd combinations – the elites who allegedly represent human progress joining up with the worst barbarians on Earth, those who chop off heads, persecute women, oppress gays, destroy cultural treasures,” Netanyahu said.

    Speaking at the same ceremony, President Reuven Rivlin expressed criticism of the state for failing to care for the needs of Holocaust survivors.

    The issue requires “soul-searching” by the country, and Holocaust survivors have not received the respect they deserve, the president said.

    “Even to the present day, the State of Israel does not take every measure it can in order to take care of the Holocaust survivors,” said Rivlin.

    “My brothers and sisters, survivors, the heroes of Israel’s revival, I came here today on my own behalf, and on behalf of the people of Israel, on behalf of the State of Israel, and I ask each one of you, before it is too late, for forgiveness.

    We did not understand, we did not want to understand, and we have not done enough.”

    Approximately 189,000 Holocaust survivors live in Israel, of whom 45,000 live under the poverty line, according to data released by the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Survivors.

    Rivlin said the Holocaust demonstrated the need for the Jewish people to be in charge of its own fate, and that it should never outsource its security, although adding that the State of Israel “is not, under any circumstances, compensation for the Holocaust.”


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    2 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    Logical_Abe
    Logical_Abe
    7 years ago

    What purpose are the sirens for the neshomos of the Kedoshim? Had they marked the Holocaust Remembrance Day on Tisha b’Av, even chareidim would have joined in commemoration with kaddish said throughout the country. What kind of meshugas is it anyhow to make it in middle of May or Iyar?

    7 years ago

    Anytime is a proper time to remember the ultimate sacrifice our brothers & sisters paid al Kiddish HaShem. These Kedoshim must be remembered everyday.