Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan is promoting an initiative that would see the international body adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism.
“Rising anti-Semitism around the world demands we act with additional tools and increase cooperation with the international community to create tools for enforcement against displays of anti-Semitic hatred in the field,” said Erdan. “The U.N.’s adoption of the official definition can limit some of the incitement against Israel at the U.N. that some of the member states have grown accustomed to and will also better equip the whole U.N. to fight anti-Semitism.”
To enlist the United Nations to the effort, Erdan met over the weekend with U.N. Under-Secretary-General Miguel Moratinos, the body’s “point man” on anti-Semitism. The two discussed options for fighting anti-Semitism, as well as the possibility of the United Nations adopting of the IHRA definition of the term in such a way that obligates all of its organizations.
Such a move, which would likely take a few months, would find officials of countries such as Iran in violation of the U.N.’s position when they engage in Holocaust denial.
So far, 35 countries have adopted the IHRA definition, according to which anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism.
This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.
