“The sounds we heard at Pittsburgh and Poway do not allow us to act with restraint. [Antisemitism] must be attack[ed] on multiple fronts,” demanded Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon on Wednesday.
A special UN General Assembly meeting to discuss surging global antisemitism was held on Wednesday in New York.
The gathering — organized by Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon — was attended by participants from more than 90 countries.
Referring to two deadly antisemitic shootings that took place in the US in the past year, Danon said, “The sounds we heard at Pittsburgh and Poway do not allow us to act with restraint. The world’s approach to eradicating antisemitism must be like that of modern warfare. It must attack on multiple fronts.”
Danon called on the UN to take three steps — compile an annual investigative report on antisemitism; appoint a special envoy of the secretary-general for combating antisemitism; and add “ending antisemitism” to its sustainable development goals.
Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was wounded in the Poway shooting two months ago, spoke at Wednesday’s event, saying, “In far too many places around the world Jews are becoming more vulnerable…They are paying a shockingly high price to keep themselves safe. Since the horrific attack at our Chabad center, I have made it my personal mission to harness the tools used for spreading darkness and hate for spreading love and light. To fight darkness not with more darkness — but with a great big light.”
Goldstein was joined in New York by family members of the late Lori Gilbert Kaye, who was killed in the shooting.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remarked at the start of the meeting, “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.”
