International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Israel's president lashes out at UN and ICC

President of Israel Isaac Herzog delivered a fiery speech Monday at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp.

During his speech, Herzog lashed out harshly at the UN itself and the International Criminal Court (ICC) which months ago issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for "war crimes" in the framework of Israel's counterterrorism operations during the war in the Gaza Strip following the brutal massacre of October 7.

"I stand before you as president of a nation that is determined and proud, and yet - anguished and incomplete," Herzog said.

"Although the Israeli people have been overcome with emotion seeing seven of our daughters at last emerge heroically from hell - still, ninety Israelis and foreign nationals remain in Hamas captivity," the president added, referring to the young women recently released by the radical Palestinian Islamist group in exchange for hundreds of terrorists imprisoned in Israel after a ceasefire agreement was reached between the two sides.

He also made a "call on all representatives in this General Assembly, all who consider themselves part of the civilized world, to throw your weight to ensure our hostages return to their homes - every single one of them. Bring them home now!"

Referring to the UN and the ICC, among others, he said, "How is it possible that international institutions, which began as an anti-Nazi alliance, are allowing antisemitic genocidal doctrines to flourish uninterrupted in the wake of the largest massacre of Jews since World War II?"

"A moral bankruptcy"

The Israeli president also accused international institutions of collaborating with the Islamic terrorists and distorting the definition of genocide to demonize Israel.

"How is it possible that the moral compass of so many in the family of nations has become so disoriented, that they no longer recognize the clear truth: That just as terrorists use civilians as human shields, they also weaponize the international institutions, undermining the most basic, fundamental reason for their establishment? How is it possible that the same institutions established in the wake of the greatest genocide in history – the Holocaust - are manipulating the definition of genocide for the sole purpose of attacking Israel and the Jewish people?" he contended.

Herzog added: "Rather than fulfilling its purpose and fighting courageously against a global epidemic of jihadist, murderous, and abhorrent terror, time and again this assembly has exhibited moral bankruptcy. International forums and institutions such as the International Criminal Court opt for outrageous hypocrisy and protection of the perpetrators of the atrocities. They blur the distinction between good and evil, creating a distorted symmetry between the victim and the murderous monster."

The Israeli official also indicated that the terrorists who perpetrated the October 7 massacre were inspired by Nazism and Hitler.

Herzog further said that it is an "urgent wake-up call for all of humanity: antisemitism, savagery, cruelty, and racism are still thriving on our planet."

The President of the Jewish State also referred to the danger posed by the Iranian regime: "The world cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the threat posed by Iran to the entire world, and especially to the State of Israel," he said. He added: "This is a moment of truth for us all: We either bow our heads – or unite and take action to halt the danger."

Herzog noted that while criticism of Israel is legitimate, "it is time to acknowledge: Challenging our right to exist is not diplomacy, it is plain antisemitism."

He also called for more Arab countries to join the Agreements of Abraham, the treaties normalizing relations that Israel signed with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.