“Eighty-one years after World War II, we are fighting a powerful and significant war to remove existential threats from the State of Israel,” Zamir said.
By The IDF Club
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said Monday that Israel’s ongoing military campaign carries a profound historical responsibility, linking the current fight directly to the legacy of the Holocaust.
Speaking during a high-level assessment with the General Staff on operations in Iran and other arenas, Zamir reflected on the weight of the moment on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
“As we sit in the command center preparing for the continuation of this campaign, I cannot help but think, on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, about the magnitude of the historical responsibility on our shoulders,” he said.
Zamir said Israel’s current war reflects a dramatic transformation in Jewish history.
“Eighty-one years after the end of World War II, from a persecuted and defenseless people, we are fighting a powerful and significant war to remove existential threats from the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” he said.
He described the conflict as unprecedented in scope, spanning multiple fronts against both nearby and distant enemies. “We are facing a multi-arena war unlike anything in our history,” Zamir said, adding that Israel is confronting “enemies who seek to destroy us.”
Highlighting recent operations, Zamir said Israel has dealt significant blows to Iran and its proxies.
“We are defeating Iran and its proxies,” he said. “We have struck them hard and dismantled their military capabilities.”
He described the Iranian regime as “a cruel dictatorship that has called for our destruction,” stressing that Israel has not hesitated to act.
“We did not fear them,” Zamir said. “We stood on our feet, took our fate into our own hands, and struck them.”
Drawing a direct connection to Holocaust remembrance, Zamir emphasized the historic shift in Jewish self-defense.
“Today, the Jewish people have a powerful defensive force against those who seek to destroy us,” he said. “We will not be deterred. Our fate is in our hands.”
“It is fitting that we remember the six million,” Zamir added, “and alongside that, remember the historic privilege we have been given to defend the Jewish people with strength.”
Praising IDF forces across all branches, he called them “the strongest and most capable defensive force in Jewish history.”
He concluded with a clear message.
“We will not be deterred,” Zamir said. “We will face every threat directly and eliminate it before it materializes.”
