The United Nations held on 26 June in New York an Informal meeting of the General Assembly on Combatting Antisemitism and Other Forms of Racism and Hate and the Challenges of Teaching Tolerance and Respect in the Digital Age.
The meeting was organized at the initiative of Israel’s envoy to the UN Danny Danon, the Israeli mission said in a statement.
Danon called on the UN to “declare war on antisemitism” and urged measures such as appointing a special UN envoy for countering antisemitism.
Over 90 countries participated including representatives from Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Morocco. There were also hundreds of guests from the US Jewish community, as well as Jewish and pro-Israel organizations.
Among those who took part were Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was injured in the April 27 shooting attack at the Poway synagogue in San Diego, as well as the daughter and sister of Lori Gilbert Kaye, who was killed in the assault. Three people were injured and the gunman was arrested.
Rabbi Goldstein warned the assembly of the danger that rising anti-Semitism presents to Jewish people all over the globe.
“In far too many places around the world Jews are becoming more vulnerable,” he said. “They are paying a shockingly high price to keep themselves safe.”
Opening the session, held at the UN headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared: “We must tackle the tsunami of hatred that is so visible and violent across the world today. I guarantee you that I will continue to call out Antisemitic racism and other forms of hatred loudly and unapologetically.”
“In the United States, Europe and elsewhere, attacks on synagogues, graveyards and individuals continue to make many Jews feel insecure,” Guterres continued. “This age-old hatred is showing grim staying power.”
European Commission Coordinator on combating Antisemitism Katharina von Schnurbein said in a speech: “Antisemitism is not just a European problem and the EU is determined to fight it beyond its borders together with its partners.”
UN chief António Guterres recounted a study that revealed a 13% rise in violent anti-Semitic incidents in 2018 compared to the year before, and observed that attacks on synagogues, graveyards and individuals in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, “continue to make many Jews feel insecure”.
