Netanyahu with wife Sara in Poland
Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO
Netanyahu to speak at Auschwitz
Prime minister to tell world to 'learn lesson from Holocaust' on international remembrance day
WARSAW – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is
scheduled to make a speech in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day Wednesday, during which he plans to say that "we must learn a lesson from the Holocaust" in a reference to the Iranian nuclear threat.
The ceremony at the Auschwitz death camp in Poland will be attended by Polish President Lech Kaczynski, the president of the European Parliament, and a party of MKs from Israel.
Warning
Ronen Medzini
Prime minister says on eve of International Holocaust Memorial Day, 'There is evil that can spread, which threatens security of Jews.' While he did not mention Iran explicitly, Netanyahu noted: 'There are new haters of Judaism with new reasons to destroy Jewish state. This is our concern'
A candlelit march for the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the camp will also include a number of its survivors and liberators.
President Shimon Peres also plans to speak in honor of the date at the Bundestag in Berlin. The German parliament will hear a translation of the speech, which will be carried out in Hebrew. Peres plans to say the Kadish prayer in honor of the victims, which include his grandparents, who were burned alive in their town's synagogue.
He also plans to bring up the subject of Iran as a country perpetuating the denial of the Holocaust, as well as German-Israeli relations and efforts to reach peace with the Palestinians.
Peres with German president (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO)
On Tuesday the president told his German counterpart, Horst Koehler, that "Ahmadinejad's regime is openly calling for Israel's destruction, denying the Holocaust, and preventing peace with the Palestinians. It is destabilizing Lebanon and Yemen and trying to take over Iraq."
Earlier he met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said additional sanctions may be imposed on Iran very soon.
Other Israeli officials plan to give speeches at different locations throughout the world. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will speak in Budapest, his deputy, Danny Ayalon, is scheduled to speak in Bratislava, and Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat will speak in Paris.
Roni Sofer contributed to this report
