ByBRENDA KATTEN

JUNE 6, 2026 09:53

June 6 marks 82 years since D-Day, when the United States, Great Britain, and Canada launched a vast air, land, and sea assault on German-occupied France during World War II. The operation signaled the start of the end for a conflict that ultimately spanned six years.

The Allies prevailed in World War II through their unity. At the outset, figures such as Winston Churchill identified the menace posed by Hitler and his ideology.

In the present era, US President Donald Trump identifies Iran as a peril not only to its own people, as events have shown, but to the broader free world.

The parallel with Hitler's Germany stands out clearly. Hitler cast Jews as Germany's central problem, while today Iran and its proxies have convinced much of the world that Israel and Jews represent the issue.

It is deeply unfortunate that the nations which united against past evil have yet to unite against the shared adversary of today. The United States and Israel stand largely isolated in opposing Iran, the Nazi Germany of our time.

Parallels between Iran and wartime Germany

Many continue to ask why Europe, the United Kingdom, and Canada overlook the resemblances between World War II Germany and present-day Iran.

These nations, through their pursuit of neutrality, have effectively contributed to spreading harmful views toward Israel and the Jewish people.

A troubling issue remains why those who opposed Hitler fail to recognize the Iranian leadership's intent to follow a similar path. Hitler's regime murdered six million Jews, and Iran now openly calls for the destruction of Israel, which hosts the world's largest Jewish population.

The core observation holds that Jews served as scapegoats in the past and continue to do so today, with only the identity of the oppressor having changed.

Consider the Gulf Cooperation Council members, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, all targeted by Iran.

Although Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has likened Iran's proxy network and regional moves to Hitler's prewar annexations, neither Saudi Arabia nor fellow members have mounted a military response to Iran's attacks.

The partnership between Israel and the US against Iran, initiated on February 28, captured the essence of joint action. Yet questions persist about whether ordinary Americans back this stance.

Yaakov Katz's recent Magazine piece noted declining US public backing for Israel, particularly among younger voters who will choose a new president in roughly two years. Public opinion ultimately shapes national policy, and current trends in the US appear unfavorable for Israel.

With the growing chance that Israel cannot count on indefinite US support, attention turns to how the country might succeed alone against those seeking its destruction.

Unity is essential. The October 7 attack occurred amid internal divisions, including widespread protests against efforts to limit the Supreme Court's authority to overturn unreasonable government actions.

Lacking a constitution or upper legislative chamber, and with an electoral system that permits minority rule, Israel requires intact legal safeguards until a constitution is adopted and reforms enacted.

Israel now confronts a sharper split over responsibility for defending the Jewish state.

The conscription shortfall has reached critical levels. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir warns that defense duties fall on too narrow a group. Officials have flagged potential severe shortages of combat personnel by year's end.

Zamir urges immediate conscription of the haredi sector, with around 66,000 men of draft age currently exempt from service.

Too few have long carried the load of securing the nation's future. The moment has arrived for these 66,000 haredim to share the effort alongside those enduring heavy physical and mental strain.

Israel battles Iran and its proxies across multiple fronts. Citizens, especially in the north, face constant Hezbollah rocket fire, while soldier casualties in Lebanon mount steadily.

It remains heartrending to encounter yet another young life lost in reports.

One example is Capt. Maoz Israel Recanati, 24, a platoon commander killed fighting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

He was set to wed his fiancée, Rani, soon. At his funeral she voiced sorrow over their lost plans and spoke movingly of his potential as a father.

For families who see young men cherish and play with their children, her words strike a deep chord, underscoring the fatherhood denied to Maoz and many others.

Too few have shouldered the defense burden for too long. The time for shared responsibility is now. The nation merits leadership that values collective duty.

As the late Moshe Dayan observed, Israel's heritage provides strength and unity provides power. Am Yisrael hai.

The writer is president of Israel, Britain and the Commonwealth Association and has chaired public affairs organizations in Israel and the UK.