Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, shared on Nov. 29 a “Joint Statement by National Coordinators and Special Envoys on Combating Antisemitism in Regards to the Events in Amsterdam on November 7th.”
“We are horrified by the widespread assaults on Israelis and Jews, fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv football team, that took place in the streets of Amsterdam on 7-8 November,” the statement began. “Several were wounded and hundreds were forced to take shelter as violent mobs went on a self-proclaimed ‘Jew hunt.’ These attacks took place as the country was observing the anniversary of the Nazi pogroms of Kristallnacht, a chilling reminder of dark times.”
The envoys noted that the explosion of antisemitism went beyond any single country or region with “real-world consequences for Jewish communities throughout Europe and around the world, and could result in more attacks similar to those in Amsterdam.”
Countries that co-signed the statement include Greece, Portugal, Israel, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Romania, Austria, Canada and the United Kingdom.
“We urge governments to act now,” the respective international representatives stated. “We encourage them to employ and implement the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism, which offer concrete measures they should take.”
The guidelines call for ensuring that law enforcement “is equipped and empowered to adequately address the security and welfare of Jews and Jewish communities to protect them from physical attacks.” Other parts of the plan call for hate-crime enforcement, combating online antisemitism and expanding education initiatives aimed at influencing those most likely to embrace bigoted beliefs.
“We are united in our aim to counter the spread of antisemitism and ensure that our countries provide a safe and secure home to a thriving Jewish community,” the statement concluded.
