French noted intellectual, philosopher and writer Bernard-Henri Levy denounced “the renewed advance of this radical inhumanity, this total baseness that is anti-Semitism” and the “delirium of anti-Zionism” in a keynote speech Thursday to the first-ever meeting convened by the United Nations General Assembly on the topic of anti-Semitism two weeks after the recent bloody terror attacks in Paris.
In his speech to the meeting, convened by UNGA President Sam Kutesa after 37 countries, including all European Union member states, signed last October a letter decrying the “alarming outbreak of anti-Semitism worldwide,” Levy lamented “the renewed advance of this radical inhumanity that is antisemitism.”
He mentioned a number of myths that confuse attempts to get to the heart of today’s problem, among them the idea that anti-Semitism would lessen or even disappear if the Palestinians were to achieve an independent state.
“Even if the Palestinians had a state, as is their right – even then, alas, this enigmatic and old hatred would not dissipate one iota,” he said.
He described three key aspects to today’s anti-Semitism: the demonization of Israel as an illegitimate state, the denial of the Holocaust, and what he described as “the modern scourge of competitive victimhood,” whereby Jewish efforts to commemorate the Holocaust are scorned as an attempt to belittle the sufferings of other nations.
“The Jews are detestable because they are supposed to support an evil illegitimate state – this is the anti-Zionist delirium of the merciless adversaries of the reestablishment of the Jews in their historical fatherland,” Levy said.
Addressing the gathering, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor, called on European leaders to take a stand against anti-Semitism."Let the message echo from the halls of the UN to the streets of Europe to the capital of every nation – stand for human rights and human dignity by taking a stand against anti-Semitism," he said.
He continued, "The struggle against anti-Semitism must be a priority for every nation because the hatred that begins with the Jews never ends with the Jews. History has shown us time and again that when a nation’s Jews are not safe, the entire society is at risk."
"Europe is being tested," he said. "We don't need any more monuments commemorating the Jews who were murdered in Europe, we need a strong and enduring commitment to the living Jews in Europe. If the governments of Europe succeed in defending their Jewish communities, then they will succeed in defending liberty and democracy."
He also stressed that ‘’the days when Jews were the world’s victims are over. We will never again be helpless and we will never again remain silent. Today we have the State of Israel standing guard.’’
Thursday’s New York session was opened with a video message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, who told delegates that a “UN that wants to be true to its founding aims and ideas has a duty to speak out against anti-Semitism.”
The session also featured statements by Canadian Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney, French State Secretary for European Affairs Harlem Desir, German Minister for Europe Michael Roth, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power, EU Ambassador to the UN Thomas Mayr-Harting and representatives from other EU member states.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) welcomed the UNGA informal plenary session on the rise in anti-Semitic violence worldwide but said it was ''long overdue.'' ''In many respects, it is sad that it took the loss of Jewish lives and ongoing daily threats to Jews to bring about this meeting. Yet, it is entirely appropriate that the international body, founded in the shadow of the Holocaust, has recognized the urgency of this issue,'' said ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman.
A poll by ADL showed that more than a quarter of the world’s adult population is infected with anti-Semitism.