GENEVA - Representatives of the World Jewish Congress took the floor at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva during its 53rd session to alert the international community of the rising antisemitism, and bigotry in general, as well as libelous allegations against Israel across the world.
Among WJC’s eleven statements was a joint statement with the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, and European Union of Jewish Students calling the recently published Report of Commission of Inquiry on the situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories, “imbalanced and even prejudiced towards the State of Israel.”
The joint statement also called for the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism, noting that it is an “internationally recognized working definition, and rejecting it only enables antisemitism in the disguise of criticism against the Israeli authorities.”
During an urgent debate triggered by the burning of religious books in Sweden, the WJC reiterated the position of our affiliate, the Official Council of the Swedish Jewish communities, in denouncing the heinous act of burning of religious books and concluded by stating: “Mr. President, the world doesn’t need more burning of books. It needs more people to read books.”
The WJC also spoke on the topics of the right to education, prevention of genocide, human rights violations in Syria, media and digital literacy, and the need to reform the biased mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine.
WJC offered its affiliated Jewish communities worldwide a chance to speak at the Human Rights Council while the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) reports of their respective countries were being adopted. This allowed them to suggest practical steps for strengthening the fight against antisemitism and fostering the growth of vibrant Jewish communities. At this session, the Jewish Communities of Argentina, Czechia, Guatemala and Switzerland raised their voices at the Human Rights Council.
The UPR is an HRC mechanism in which the human rights record of every UN member state is reviewed regularly. At this session, the senior leadership of the Jewish communities of Argentina, Czech Republic, Guatemala, and Switzerland delivered statements outlining human rights conditions in their countries and the Jewish community’s relationship with the government.
During the session, WJC co-organized a visit of families of four Israelis held captive incommunicado by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza since 2014, in complete violation and disregard to international law. Over the years, no information has been provided regarding their fate and whereabouts, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has not been allowed to visit them. The WJC facilitated a meeting between the families and the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, Volker Turk.
