Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed on Thursday that Israel will take any necessary means to prevent another Holocaust and that it is prepared to defend itself against destructive intentions.
"Even today there are those who have declared their intentions to exterminate millions of Jews and erase [Israel] for the face of the earth," Netanyahu said at a dedication ceremony for the permanent pavilion at Block 27 at Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Speaking from the place that stands as a "testament to the will to destroy our people," Netanyahu declared Israel's ability and willingness to defend itself as an independent state with a strong army.
The prime minister stated that Israel cannot stand complacent in the face of existential threats and must take a proactive stand.
He warned that "we must not be helpless and entrust our fate in the hands of others."
"We must not be complacent in the face of threats of annihilation. We must not bury our heads in the sand or allow others to do the work for us," he said.
In a direct challenge to Iran, during the state ceremony marking the start of Holocaust Remembrance Day in April, Netanyahu vowed, “[there] will never again be another Holocaust”.