Eighty-seven countries pledged to fight anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
"This agreement is a step that doubles the power of 87 states' cooperation in the fight against the de-legitimization of Israel and anti-Semitism towards Jews around the world," said Danny Ayalon, deputy foreign minister and former Israeli ambassador to the United States. "There are those who deny the Holocaust and are preparing for the next Holocaust. We must remember the Holocaust so that the horrors will not return, and we will make the world a safer place.”
The “Memorandum of Understanding” was facilitated by the Israeli Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research (ITF) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Together, the member states will focus their efforts on improving Holocaust education and running racism awareness campaigns.
“This cooperation aims to raise awareness of the importance of Holocaust education and remembrance in the member States of the ITF and the participating States of the OSCE,” wrote the ITF on their website. “Including encouraging governments to strengthen Holocaust education and educational efforts to confront Antisemitism in their societies and sharing best practices.”
The alliance comes just weeks after the OSCE conference on tolerance and non-discrimination was held in Kazakhstan, where concerns were raised about increasing anti-Semitic sentiments in Europe. It is one of the largest commitments to combating anti-Semitism in recent years.
