JERUSALEM
World leaders gathered Thursday to participate in the Fifth Holocaust Forum in West Jerusalem.
About 40 leaders attended the event at the world Holocaust commemoration center, Yad Vashem Museum, namely the presidents of France, Russia, Italy, Germany, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Prince Charles of the U.K.
Arab countries were noticeably absent.
“The Jewish people have learned from the lessons of the past by taking threats seriously … we have the ability to defend ourselves by ourselves,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the forum.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said: “The state of Israel is not a compensation
