In an opinion piece for Germany’s leading newspaper ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder, argues that Holocaust remembrance should be “more than just a regular gathering of dignitaries listening to solemn speeches by important people.” He noted that, although solemn acts were important in their symbolism, the remembrance of the Shoah also had practical consequences for today’s world. “Is it acceptable to organize big Shoah commemorations on one day, and to provide the Islamist regime in Tehran with technology to develop weapons or even nuclear capabilities the next? Can we put our head in the sand and ignore the warning signs, like so many Europeans now do after the US intelligence report published in December?, ” Lauder asks.
He also criticizes the attitude of some Europeans: “The rejection of the ‘Zionist state’ is not just found among Islamists and those who want ‘to wipe Israel off the map.’ It can also be detected in Europe where self-proclaimed ‘principled people’ often apply much stricter standards when judging Israeli actions than in comparable cases. This is, in itself, a form of discrimination and leads to a 'demonization' of Israel.” The WJC president concludes that protecting the State of Israel was part of honouring the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
The full text of the article can be read here
