Joined by Poway rabbi, UN envoy calls on world to declare war on anti-Semitism

“The sounds we heard at Pittsburgh and Poway do not allow us to act with restraint,” said Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon.

By JNS

The United Nations General Assembly met on Wednesday to discuss the growing anti-Semitism worldwide, at the initiative of Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon, who had enlisted the support of the United States, Canada, and European Union countries.

More than 90 countries participated in a discussion that included hundreds of guests from the Jewish community in the United States, Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, and many more.

“The sounds we heard at Pittsburgh and Poway do not allow us to act with restraint,” said Danon, referring to the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. Jewish history in October 2018 at the Tree of Life-Or L’Simcha Synagogue in Pittsburgh and the shooting in May at Chabad of Poway in Southern California, where one woman was killed and three others injured.

“The world’s approach to eradicating anti-Semitism must be like that of modern warfare. It must attack on multiple fronts,” he added.

Danon said countries must implement legislation to educate their population in identifying anti-Semitism: “Leaders of the world—all the allies of the Jewish people—will take that pledge today, and every day, to fight the war on anti-Semitism until anti-Semitism is gone.”

Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was wounded in the shooting attack in Poway, was invited by Israel to address the discussion.

“In far too many places around the world, Jews are becoming more vulnerable… they are paying a shockingly high price to keep themselves safe,” said the rabbi.

“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,” he added.

The rabbi was accompanied by the daughter and sister of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who was murdered in the shooting.

U.N. Secretary General António Guterres opened the discussion by stating, “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 anti-Semitic racism and other forms of hatred loudly and unapologetically,” the secretary general declared.