''Today we cannot only commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the Holocaust without committing ourselves against anti-Semitic terrorism, '' said Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajan, in a speech at a ceremony in the European Parliament commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
On this occasion, a minute of silence was observed in the Yehudi Menuhin hall of the parliament in memory of the millions of victims of the Holocaust followed by the Kaddish recited by the Chief Rabbi of Brussels Albert Guigui.
"No Jewish person should be obliged to leave Europe, their Europe, as a result of terrorism. Without the European Jews, Europe would no longer be Europe," Tajani said.
Attacks against Europe's Jewish community are "threats to our own values and identity," he added.
'' We must have the courage to say that without the Jews of Europe, Europe would not be Europe. When one attacks Jews in France or Belgium, one attacks Europe and our universal consciousness, '' said Tajani.
He also defended the right for everyone to publicly proclaim his religious faith which is guaranteed by Article 10 of the EU Fundamental Rights Charter. ‘’We will protect and respect without any compromise the right for difference and we will encourage the dialogue between religions in order to build our future together.’’
Speaking in Prague on Tuesday, European Parliament President Martin Schulz said, "Too many allowed hatred to grow, too many turned a blind eye, too many stood silent. We must never allow this to happen again."
He promised Holocaust survivors that their legacy would never be forgotten: "It is upon us to fight for freedom and justice, democracy and human dignity; today and every day."