PM Netanyahu and his wife light 1st Hanukkah candle
PM Netanyahu and his wife light 1st Hanukkah candleKoby Gideon/GPO

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, on Thursday evening lit the first Hanukkah candle – via Zoom – with the World Zionist Organization (WZO) and representatives of Diaspora Jewish communities.

"This is an especially happy Hanukkah. We are expanding the circle of peace with Israel, and are attaching Morocco to as it well,” said Netanyahu.

“This is gigantic news. The light of peace has never been so strong. We are bringing peace. We are also bringing coronavirus vaccines. We are bringing hope and blessing to the people of Israel this Hanukkah,” he continued.

“There is nothing like this evening, in this place in Jerusalem, on this holiday, to mark the huge change that occurred in the annals of our people. The Maccabees saved the Jewish people; they saved the Jewish heritage and religion. Without them the Jewish people would not exist,” said Netanyahu.

“We have many reasons to celebrate this Hanukkah. A happy holiday to you all. A happy holiday to the people of Israel in the Diaspora," he concluded.

Also participating were Minister David Amsalem (via Zoom), WZO Chairman Yaakov Hagoel and representatives of Diaspora Jewish communities (via Zoom) from – inter alia – Greece, Italy, England, the US, Hungary, Poland, Scotland, Sweden and Germany.