European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen points out that Europe is experiencing an outbreak of anti-Semitism following the unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7, and underlines the importance at a time when the Jewish community lives to remember the Holocaust, intimidated and harassed.
In a statement on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which takes place today, Saturday, The mayor assured that the commemoration of the Holocaust “has taken on a new meaning” after the serious attacks by Hamas against Israel.
Jews are intimidated, harassed and attacked on the streets, at school and at university
“European Jews are once again living in hardship: No parent should be afraid to send their child to school. Jews are intimidated, harassed and attacked on the streets, at school and at university. Synagogues were destroyed. “Jewish cemeteries were desecrated,” he denounced.
Von der Leyen assured that the outbreak of anti-Semitism that Europe is currently experiencing “recalls the darkest time in our history.” However, he defended that Europe now stands “on the side of the Jewish communities and there is no place for anti-Semitic hatred.”
For all these reasons, the head of the European Executive has defended the promotion of Jewish life and its “publicity” as a strategy to combat anti-Semitism. “We cannot accept that Jews hide their identity”he emphasized.
In light of the disappearance of Holocaust survivors, the German conservative calls for new forms of commemoration and new teaching methods to be used, with a focus on places of remembrance. “They must be preserved and used for educational and commemorative purposes. We must remember how it all began: anti-Semitism and hatred led to the Shoah,” he emphasized.