Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant (Likud) released a special video message Friday for International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

In the video, Galant noted his own family connections, referencing his mother, Fruma, a Holocaust refugee.

“To many around the world, the Holocaust is a faraway concept, buried in history books.

To the 6 million Jews and minorities who were murdered,
To my mother Fruma, who fled the Nazis at only 5 years old,
The Holocaust is not a story.

International Holocaust Day is not only an occasion to remember.
It teaches a lesson.

Only a strong and secure State of Israel,
Only a powerful and moral military, the IDF,
can ensure the continuity of the Jewish people.

Today, I send a clear message to those who threaten us –
From terrorists who target the Jewish diaspora,
To Iran, which calls for the destruction of Israel,
“Never again” is a promise.

It’s a promise of security to our people.
It’s a promise of peace, which we must keep together with the international community.

It’s a promise to those we remember,
To Fruma,
And to generations to come.”