“The task of combating antisemitism is pressing, especially as we have seen a disturbing uptick during the pandemic," said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visiting Sudan, 2020.(photo credit: SOVEREIGN COUNCIL MEDIA OFFICE/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
A number of Balkan countries pledged to take a united stand against antisemitism at the inaugural Balkans Forum Against Antisemitism conference on Wednesday.Participating countries throughout the conference discussed how the Balkan region can work as a unit to eradicate antisemitism and create more tolerant societies for future generations.“We are here because antisemitism is sadly still with us. We share the responsibility of those before us to crush it. We can do it. First, we must define this threat and understand it clearly," said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was a participant and at the conference called on other countries to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism that was adopted by the Trump administration after and executive order last September.“The task of combating antisemitism is pressing, especially as we have seen a disturbing uptick during the pandemic," he added.The participants also discussed how the IHRA definition can be an important navigational tool in achieving the goals set in front of them, just days after the Albanian parliament unanimously passed legislation to adopt the IHRA's definition."We need to continue to fight every form of antisemitism, not only as a threat to Jews and Israel, but as a threat to our own civilization and values, on which our future is being built,” said Prime Minister Edi Rama, adding online antisemitism adds to the threat. "Let us not forget that the very first pogroms originated from the ‘fake news’ and slanders of the day against the actions of Jews.""This is where it all originated. The new form of spreading this in the digital world should worry us. There is a lot of hope in digital society for progress, but this must not turn into a nightmare spiraling out of control," he added.Notable participants of the conference - organized by the Parliament of the Republic of Albania together with the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and the Jewish Agency for Israel - included President of the European Parliament David Maria Sassoli, Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Albania Gramoz Ruci, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Elan Carr along with speakers and leaders of parliament for Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Israel."The shameful and sad truth is: In 2020, 75 years after the end of World War II, many Jewish people all over Europe cannot live a life free of worry," said Sassoli. "This shows that we must never rest, that we must never stop, that we must never allow ourselves to think that the story we believed was over 75 years ago cannot repeat itself.""Antisemitism happens not only in the darkest corners of the internet but also in the open. We must ask how we got here and how we can combat it," added Knesset Speaker Yarin Levin. "We need to use all the tools available, legislation, education to stop hate speech and antisemitism. We must urge adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism. I hope that the message of Albania’s vote will inspire other parliaments in the Balkans and around the world."
