Social Equality and Women's Empowerment Minister May Golan spoke at the United Nations in honor of International Women's Day, urging Iran's women to take back their freedom and power.
"This is the third International Women’s Day gathering I speak before you," she began. "When I first stood here - my nation was still bleeding - after one of the cruelest attacks humanity has witnessed in the 21st century - by the Hamas terror organization."
"We then witnessed the complete collapse of humanity - a diabolical campaign of murder and rape that attempted to tear apart not only the bodies of our women, but the very soul of my people.
"From that moment, the State of Israel embarked on its War of Resurrection. the armed struggle against us was waged by all branches of the axis of evil: from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran. For two and a half years, my country has fought on seven fronts for its very existence. But today, I stand here to tell you that the spirit of the Jewish people has not only survived-it has prevailed!"
She explained, "To understand where the women of Israel draw their strength today, one must go back 78 years ago. In the besieged Kibbutz Nitzanim, stood Mira Ben-Ari, a young radio operator. She sent her young son to safety and remained on the firing line. As the enemy closed in, she wrote: 'There is no farewell more painful than that of a mother parting from her child - yet I part from my son so that he may grow up in safety, and live as a free man in his own land.' Mira fell in battle, but her words echo to this day."
"Today, in Israel's War of Resurrection, Mira’s spirit has come back to life. It lives in the granddaughters of Holocaust survivors - who fly jet-fighters over Iran and Lebanon; it lives in the female commanders in the ally's of Gaza; it exists in female intelligence analysts and in the wives of reserve army members.
"Today, beside me at the governments table sits - a minister who sent her four sons and four sons-in-law to the battlefield - voting on attack operations, while knowing her children are at the front line. Next to her in parliament - sits another woman whose husband was murdered in a terror attack, and she herself was severed injured and gave birth in an emergency delivery.
"This kind of spirit is the compass of our leadership."
She added, "On the second day of the war, Prime Minister Netanyahu stood - not just as a politician, but as a former officer in the most elite commando unit in the IDF. This is the same commander who led his soldiers with the words: 'Follow me to the battlefield' - and today he calls on the Jewish nation: 'Follow me to change the Middle East…!' When there were those in the world who tried to tie our hands and imposed arms embargoes, he stood tall and told the entire world: 'If we must stand alone - we will stand alone.'"
"Today, together with the determined leadership of President Trump, we understand that cancer must be uprooted, not managed. This brilliant combined strategy - is the greatest gift to the free world, because peace begins by uprooting evil.
"And so - from here, I turn to you - the courageous women of Iran: We all saw the image that tore our hearts, the players of your national soccer team - signaling *SOS* - through a bus window in Australia. They weren't asking for a trophy - they were begging for their lives! They were terrified to return to the claws of the evil 'ayatollah' regime that holds them hostage; and I'm here to tell them: Do not trust the UN institutions sitting here on their hands.
"Do not trust the international women’s organizations that have abandoned you - just as they abandoned the Israeli women of October 7. These organizations are silent when you are imprisoned, abused, raped and murdered, and go mute when you signal 'SOS' - and so I say to you today what President Trump declared: 'Help is on the way!' Do not trust the empty declarations of bureaucrats - Trust the strong militaries and the leaders who are not afraid of evil.
"Gather strength for the day after, rise up. Fight for your freedom. Draw strength from our Israeli female warriors who fought against all odds! Do not fear the dark regime-dare! And when the time comes - go out as lionesses. Zan, Zendegi, Azadi-Woman, Life, Freedom!"