A bipartisan US Senate resolution condemning anti-Semitism in Europe was announced Wednesday by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

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The resolution calls upon the US secretary of state, the attorney general and other relevant government agencies to work closely with the European Union and European governments to further address anti-Semitism in Europe.

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It was authored by Menendez and co-sponsored by 52 other Senators, including Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Mark Kirk (R- IL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL).

"Seventy years after the liberation of Auschwitz, we are witnessing an alarming rise in anti-Semitic sentiment in Europe that must be condemned and addressed. Anti-Semitic attacks and incidents in Europe and around the world are a challenge not only to international stability and security, but to our shared morality as human beings," Senator Menendez said.

"This resolution firmly recommits the United States and its European allies to combat anti-Semitism with even greater resolve, vowing to never again allow the atrocities of the past to be repeated."

Senator Kirk added, "The murder of four Jewish individuals at a kosher deli in Paris following the Charlie Hebdo massacre was a direct affront to basic human rights and dignity. Seventy years after the liberation of Auschwitz, it is clear that our work to keep men and women of all faiths safe from violence must never stop."

US Senate building. 'Our work to keep men and women of all faiths safe from violence must never stop' (Photo: AFP)

"The recent anti-Semitic attacks in Europe are extremely disturbing and have no place in the modern world,” Senator Mikulski said. “To a generation that experienced the incomprehensible and indescribable atrocities of the Holocaust, these recent events are a reminder of the destructive nature of intolerance.

"It is our shared obligation to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community in condemning these attacks. This resolution reaffirms the need for action and change to ensure that Jews in Europe and throughout the world, along with those of all faiths, are free from persecution based on religious beliefs."

"The recent rise in anti-Semitism in Europe is a disturbing reminder of the constant trials facing the Jewish people and the state of Israel," Senator Rubio said. "This resolution ensures that America will actively cooperate with European officials to combat the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe.

"Having recently marked the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, we are reminded of how important it is for the good people of the world to be proactive in stopping hatred from taking root."

The resolution urges US government agencies and officials to work closely with the EU and European governments to address anti-Semitism by:

Investigating violence motivated by anti-Semitism.

Designating senior-level special envoys to monitor and combat anti-Semitism.

Enhancing national strategies to combat and monitor anti-Semitism and hate crimes by training law enforcement and collecting relevant data.



The resolution is actively supported by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), B'nai B'rith International, HIAS, Union for Reform Judaism, and Jewish Federations of North America.

ADL applauded the introduction of the resolution, in which the senators highlighted the findings of the Jewish organization's Global 100 Index of Anti-Semitic Attitudes, a poll of public attitudes in more than 100 countries which found more than one-quarter of the world’s population harbors deeply entrenched anti-Semitic attitudes.

"Congressional action against anti-Semitism has been vital and we are gratified that the Senate is elevating US leadership on this issue," said ADL National Chair Barry Curtiss-Lusher.

He added that Senators Menendez, Kirk, Mikulski and Rubio were "mobilizing an important moral voice in the Senate, standing up for the safety and security of Jewish communities around the world facing anti-Semitic violence and intimidation."

"We look forward to the Senate’s passage of this resolution and hope that leaders across Europe will heed this call and agree to come together and work with the United States to push back against the rising tide of anti-Semitism,” said ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman. "By doing so, they will show the world that violence and hatred will not be tolerated."