Holocaust Remembrance Day Statement by The Chief of the General Staff, LTG. Herzi Halevi

Members of the IDF, soldiers, commanders and employees,

As the sound of the siren echoes, we are reminded of the six million souls who perished in the ghettos, the death camps, the killing pits and the death marches. For a brief moment, we will bow our heads and embrace the memory of our people who were persecuted and murdered, simply for being Jews. Then, as we raise our heads, we will proudly carry their sacred legacy and vow to perpetuate the safety of the national home they had dreamed of but never lived to see.

It is our duty, it is our mission – it is our promise.

The state of Israel rose, in part, owing to the bravery of the men and women who fought for generations, willing to give their lives for the country. These days we are at war, we have failed in our mission at first and suffered great losses – civilians, soldiers, members of alert squads, security forces and rescue teams. Entire lives which ended abruptly, in a war that was forced upon us by a heinous foe, attempting to destroy us. Yet this time, we are different. The Jewish people have changed. From a defenseless and voiceless people, we have transformed into a nation in control of its own destiny, who fights and pledges – never again.

Never again will the Star of David be worn as a sign of shame – but a beacon of pride on our national flag.

Never again shall we be a scattered people, homeless and persecuted in exile – but a strong and independent nation, united in its homeland.

Never again shall we be defenseless – for we stand proudly as a nation of courageous men and women, fighting shoulder to shoulder as part of the Israel Defense Forces.

We fight in memory of the six million who could not resist the enemy who sought to destroy them; for our people who helplessly gazed in terror through barbed-wire fences; for those who would not let their fate be sealed by the Nazi oppressor, took up arms and fiercely defended their lives and the lives of their people, out-numbered yet standing tall; and on behalf of those who survived the Nazi horror, using the remainder of their strength to take part in building a homeland for the Jewish people.

As we are waging our righteous war, let their memory be the source of our strength, and a reminder of the importance of a defense force for our people. We carry upon our shoulders the responsibility to persevere and fight for the freedom of the people of Israel and pledge:
Never again!

May the memory of the six million be blessed.

Lt. General Herzi Halevi

​Chief of the General Staff