Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations has raised the issue of rising racism and anti-Semitism in Europe with the world body.
In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Yaacobi conveyed “the deep concern of the government and people of Israel” over the phenomenon.
Yaacobi also raised the issue in a meeting with Stoyan Ganev, president of the U.N. General Assembly. In that meeting, he asked Ganev to address the topic in his closing speech to the General Assembly.
The letter to the secretary-general will be circulated to the U.N. membership.
And while unlike a resolution, it has no formal impact on the world body, Yaacobi’s letter could be seen as a sign that the new ambassador intends to take the United Nations seriously as a diplomatic arena.
In the letter, Yaacobi reiterated statements made last month by the Israeli Cabinet, President Chaim Herzog and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres concerning the renewed manifestations of anti-Semitism in Germany and other nations of Europe.
“It is the duty of the world to remember the atrocities of the past and not to allow them to cast their ugly shadow upon the future,” wrote Yaacobi.
“Nations should enact appropriate legislation and severely punish those who commit acts of racist violence. It is our duty and our mission to condemn this threat without hesitation, and to put an end to it.”
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