In light of the increase in Antisemitic incidents around the world, the Israeli Mission to the United Nations, led by Ambassador Danny Danon, has made a diplomatic effort in recent months to convene the General Assembly for a special discussion on the issue. This activity, carried out alongside the United States, the European Union and Canada, has borne fruit, as the General Assembly will meet next Wednesday, June 26, to discuss combating Antisemitism and how to harness the power of social networks as an instrument of education against the messages of hatred and incitement. The Secretary-General of the United Nations will open the discussion, followed by the President of the General Assembly and Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was invited at the personal request of Israel. Alongside them will be ambassadors from many countries around the world, the European Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism and other speakers.
Rabbi Goldstein is the founder of the Chabad House in the town of Poway, near San Diego. He was shot and wounded during the attack last April, when a 19-year-old terrorist entered the synagogue and shot and killed Lori Gilbert Kaye, and wounded three others. Before the attack, the shooter published a hate-filled Antisemitic manifesto online.
Ambassador Danon has been leading a campaign against Antisemitism in the United Nations, including helping pass a resolution in April that condemned this bigotry.
Ambassador Danon: “This discussion is another important step to end the silence of the international community as the wave of Antisemitism sweeps the world. We are leading the United Nations to speak out and act so we do not forget our history and do not return to when Jews, wherever they lived, lived in fear.”
Rabbi Goldstein: “The most powerful way to overcome the darkness of hate, bigotry, and Antisemitism is by proactively generating an even greater light through acts of goodness and kindness, and by educating our youth about the dignity of life and our common obligation to be agents of light. Today it is critical for all people—world leaders, the media, and every man and woman on the street—to embrace and spread this message far and wide so that, together, we can all create a brighter and safer tomorrow for everyone.”