Happy Israel Independence Day, Yom Ha’Atzmaut

            At a formal Independence Day reception hosted by President Isaac Herzog at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar delivered a pointed and passionate speech to members of the diplomatic corps, marking 77 years since the founding of the State of Israel.

Sa’ar began by thanking foreign diplomats and nations for their solidarity and assistance in confronting a major wildfire currently affecting parts of the country. “We are deeply grateful to the countries that immediately stepped up to help us face this large fire,” he stated, noting that Israel had also reached out and received offers of help from numerous foreign counterparts. “These are our values. The values that Israel was founded upon.”

He praised the strong tradition of international cooperation, while also reminding attendees of Israel’s own history of assisting other nations in times of crisis, regardless of political considerations.

Reflecting on the country’s journey since 1948, Sa’ar described Israel’s existence as “a miracle unlike any other in the history of nations,” noting the restoration of Jewish sovereignty after 2,000 years of exile. He highlighted key milestones, including the absorption of 3.5 million immigrants and the demographic transformation that now sees nearly half the world’s Jews living in Israel. “Within a short time,” he said, “most of the Jewish people will live here in the Land of Israel. For the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple.”

Sa’ar’s remarks took a solemn turn as he emphasized the importance of self-defense in Jewish history, referencing past centuries of persecution and the Holocaust as the cost of being stateless and vulnerable. Citing former Prime Minister Golda Meir, he warned, “We cannot afford to lose a single war. Because if we lose one war – that's the end.”

In that context, Sa’ar strongly criticized what he described as international efforts to undermine Israel’s security through legal, political, and arms-related restrictions. He warned that such measures threaten Israel’s ability to defend itself and declared, “The Jewish people will never again lay down their weapons.”

Turning to regional concerns, the Foreign Minister issued a direct appeal to the international community to act in defense of minorities in Syria, particularly the Druze, citing ongoing violence. “I call on the international community to fulfill its role in protecting the minorities in Syria – especially the Druze – from the regime and its gangs of terror,” he said. “Do not turn a blind eye to the tough events taking place there over the recent months.”

Sa’ar concluded with a forceful assertion of the Jewish people's historical and moral connection to the land of Israel, stating: “No nation on earth has a greater right to its land than the Jewish people have to our historic homeland.”

He closed with gratitude to the founders of the state and the Zionist movement, pledging that Israel would remain firm in defending its citizens and bringing home hostages still held by hostile forces.

“Happy Independence Day,” he declared to applause from the assembled diplomats and dignitaries.
Taken on: May 1, 2025
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