AJC Urges UN General Assembly to Condemn Holocaust Denial
January 22, 2007 - New York - The American Jewish Committee has sent letters to all UN member states, urging them to support the draft UN General Assembly resolution condemning Holocaust denial. A vote is expected on Friday. Rejecting Holocaust denial and urging member states to develop educational programs to inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust was part of the UN General Assembly resolution, adopted in 2005, designating January 27 as an international day of Holocaust remembrance. "Regrettably, these universal lessons are rejected in certain countries where the press, the educational system, and even spiritual and religious leaders continue to deny the Holocaust," wrote AJC President E. Robert Goodkind and Executive Director David A. Harris. "In one instance, a leader of a country has repeatedly called for the destruction of another member state, called into question well-documented historical facts about the Holocaust and sponsored a Holocaust-denial conference in his capital city." Against this backdrop the draft resolution on Holocaust denial was conceived. "The United Nations bears a special responsibility to assure that the Holocaust and its lessons are never forgotten, and that this tragedy serves as a warning to all people of the profound dangers of hatred, bigotry, and racism," wrote AJC to UN ambassadors. The full text of the AJC letter follows:
Your Excellency: We are writing to express the American Jewish Committee?s strong support for the draft resolution condemning Holocaust denial, to be submitted this week to the UN General Assembly under Agenda Item 44 titled "Culture of Peace." The United Nations was founded more than 61 years ago in response to the horrors of the Second World War, and specifically the tragedy of the Holocaust. In its Sixtieth Session, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/60/7 designating January 27 as an annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust and calling upon governments, civil society and international organizations to observe the day. The resolution also rejected Holocaust denial and urged member states to develop educational programs to inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust. The adoption of resolution A/60/7 without a vote was an historic milestone for the United Nations and its founding principles. It also reflected the understanding that the lessons of the Holocaust are universal; that drawing attention to the tragic genocide of the Jewish people should ? and must ? serve to focus world attention on the horror of genocide, and spur all nations and people of good will to re-dedicate their efforts to preventing such mass murder from being perpetrated ever again. Regrettably, these universal lessons are rejected in certain countries where the press, the educational system, and even spiritual and religious leaders continue to deny the Holocaust. In one instance, a leader of a country has repeatedly called for the destruction of another member state, called into question well-documented historical facts about the Holocaust and sponsored a Holocaust-denial conference in his capital city. It is against this backdrop that the current draft resolution on Holocaust denial was conceived. The United Nations bears a special responsibility to assure that the Holocaust and its lessons are never forgotten, and that this tragedy serves as a warning to all people of the profound dangers of hatred, bigotry, and racism. We call upon your government to support this draft resolution, and to join the list of member states that co-sponsor it. Respectfully, E. Robert Goodkind, President David A. Harris, Executive Director American Jewish Committee
Ari M. Gordon Assistant Director Department of Interreligious Affairs American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 751-4000 x266 www.ajc.org www.engagingamerica.org