Israel commemorates victims of Holocaust

　　Israeli officials and holocaust survivors attended the annual ceremony of Holocaust Remembrance Memorial Day at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem on Sunday.

　　The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres, ministers, foreign diplomats, lawmakers, judges, high-ranking military officials and holocaust survivors.

　　Netanyahu used the stage to give a stern speech against Iran, which, according to him, is aiming to put an end to the Jewish state.

　　"Iran has bluntly declared its intention to destroy the State of Israel and is working within all means available to achieve that. Iranian clergymen are calling Jewish people microbes and bacteria," Netanyahu said.

　　"The homicidal hatred towards the Jews did not disappear from the world but rather was replaced by another homicidal hatred against the Jewish state," the prime minister added.

　　"What's different now is our ability and determination to defend ourselves," Netanyahu said, specifically referring to the possibility of an Israeli military attack against Iranian targets.

　　"We appreciate the international community's efforts to stop the Iranian nuclear plan but under no circumstances will we put our fate in the hands of others, not even the closest of our friends," he said in conclusion, possibly referring to the United States.

　　President Shimon Peres also talked about the possible threats to Israel's security, citing the Holocaust as a "lesson" to defend themselves and intercept dangers.

　　"Whoever ignores the threat against one nation, must know that the threat of a Holocaust against one nation is a threat of Holocaust against all nations," the president said.

　　The Holocaust was a genocide of approximately 6 million Jews during World War II. There are currently 192,000 survivors living in Israel.

　　相关新闻：以色列4月7日晚在亚德韦希姆大屠杀纪念馆举行了一年一度的大屠杀遇难者纪念仪式，悼念第二次世界大战中的犹太人死难者。以色列总统佩雷斯、总理内塔尼亚胡、大屠杀幸存者和以色列各界人士等千余人参加了仪式。

　　佩雷斯在致辞中说，犹太人大屠杀的历史不但是对我们过去的警示，也是对我们未来的警示。它教会我们要在危险到来之前，学会保卫自己。

　　内塔尼亚胡在随后的讲话中说，对犹太人充满敌意的仇恨并没有完全消失，它在某些地方转化成了对以色列的仇恨。伊朗就曾明确地宣称要摧毁以色列，并且正在通过一切手段试图达到这一目的。但是，现在所不同的是，以色列人有能力和决心捍卫自身的安全。我们感谢国际社会在阻止伊朗拥有核武器的过程中所做出的努力，但是以色列不会让自己的命运掌握在别人的手中。

　　在之后的纪念仪式中，6名大屠杀幸存者通过视频短片讲述了他们在大屠杀中的遭遇和逃生的经历，并当场点燃了纪念馆中的6支火炬，象征在大屠杀中殉难的600多万犹太人。

　　以色列每年的大屠杀纪念日在犹太历7月27日(公历4月或5月间)举行，今年的纪念日自4月7日日落开始，至8日日落结束。在此期间，各地娱乐场所关门停业，电视娱乐节目停止播出。

　　8日，以色列全国各地还将举行大屠杀纪念日活动。当天10时，防空警报将响彻以色列各地，司机下车，行人止步，为大屠杀遇难者默哀两分钟。佩雷斯和内塔尼亚胡将在亚德韦希姆大屠杀纪念馆敬献花圈，在以访问的美国国务卿克里也将参加部分纪念活动。