Watch: PM Netanyahu’s Greeting for Israel’s Independence Day
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a video address for Israel’s 78th Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut) on Tuesday night, emphasising national unity, military strength and what he described as significant achievements in the war against Iran and its regional allies.
“On Israel’s 78th Independence Day, we stand tall and we say to the world: Am Yisrael Chai! (The People of Israel Live),” Netanyahu said.
He highlighted the strategic partnership between Jerusalem and Washington, describing the alliance as central to confronting shared threats. “Israel is stronger than ever, and together with the United States, we are leading the fight against the forces of evil in the world,” he said. He also mentioned physical attacks on Jews around the world, including Australia.
The prime minister emphasised national resilience and unity amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“We stand as one and we will prevail,” he said.
Following is the full text of the greeting:
On Israel’s 78th Independence Day, we stand tall and we say to the world, Am Yisrael Chai! The people of Israel live!
To our Jewish brothers and sisters worldwide, to all the friends and supporters of Israel around the world, these three past years have made one thing clear: your role is not just important; it is vital.
You stood with us. You strengthened us. You lifted us. Our success is your success. Our strength is your strength.
Together we’ve built a stronger Israel, a regional power, forging new alliances and opening new paths to peace. And as we celebrate our independence, we remember those we lost, our sons and daughters, whose sacrifice makes this moment possible.
We embrace their families and pray for the healing of the wounded in body and spirit. We just celebrated Passover. And we say in Passover and the Seder, in every generation, they have risen against us to destroy us. But in this generation, we rose against our enemies. We rose like lions. We fought like lions.
We acted boldly to remove existential threats, the threats of nuclear weapons and thousands of missiles aimed at our cities.
The epidemic of antisemitism rages in many countries. But Israel is stronger than ever. We can fight back our enemies.
The creation of Israel did not remove antisemitism; it just gave us the physical power to fight back. And we do so.
But we also have to fight back against the slander and vilification.
We have to fight back against the physical attacks against our communities, our brethren in Australia, in America, in Europe, elsewhere. And I urge you, my brothers and sisters, stand up. Don’t cower before this evil, because people respect only those who respect themselves. Don’t bend your head. Don’t bow down before evil. Stand up. Be counted.
We are one and we shall win. We shall stand together and we shall triumph.
My brothers and sisters, we may argue among ourselves, but at the moment of truth, we stand as one people, one people on the front lines of civilisation and on the home front, in shelters and in hospitals, in moments of pain, in moments of pride.
This is your home. It is always your home.
From the dreams of generations, we didn’t just dream. We made the dream real.
And together, we will secure our future.
Happy Independence Day, my dear friends!
