Isaac Herzog: Iran has become a center of antisemitism

Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, said: “The country of Iran has been turned into a center of antisemitism by its leader.”

Isaac Herzog, on the evening of Monday, January 27, corresponding to February 8, during a speech at the United Nations ceremony marking the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, expressed concern about the spread of antisemitism in the world and said: “Iran’s fanatic leader has turned this country into a center of antisemitism and hatred.” 

In his speech last night, the President of Israel accused Iran of developing weapons of mass destruction aimed at destroying Israel and said: “The world cannot continue to close its eyes to the global threats posed by Iran, whether directly or through its proxy groups.” He also criticized the United Nations General Assembly and some of its affiliated institutions in his remarks, calling their failure to take a clear stance against the October 7 attacks a “moral bankruptcy.”

The United Nations designated January 27 as the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, coinciding with the day of liberation of the “Auschwitz” death camp at the end of World War II. The 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was also held yesterday at the site of this camp near the city of “Krakow” in southern Poland.

Approximately 50 Auschwitz survivors and Nazi death camp survivors attended this ceremony and, in their speeches, warned about the dangers of the spread of antisemitism. The ceremony was also attended by a number of international leaders and officials, including King Charles III of Britain, “Olaf Scholz” Chancellor of Germany, “Volodymyr Zelensky” President of Ukraine, and “Emmanuel Macron” President of France.

The Holocaust is an event that will never be forgotten by the world, but officials of the Islamic Republic have repeatedly denied its occurrence or called it an exaggeration. Ali Khamenei has also repeatedly used the phrase “the Holocaust myth” in his speeches regarding this event.

During the years 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany killed more than six million people, most of whom were Jews. Auschwitz was liberated on January 27, 1945, by soldiers of the Soviet Army, when only about seven thousand prisoners remained alive, and more than one million and one hundred thousand people died in Auschwitz.