Herzog: ‘we Shall Never Forget’

The following is the text of statement by Ambassador Chaim Herzog to the Third Committee on Oct. 17.

“We have listened to the most unbelievable nonsense on the issue of Zionism and from whom? From countries who are the archetypes of racism. I ask you, does it not beg the question. Here is a small country three million in population, a free democratic country, which can be visited by anybody, in which all citizens Jewish and Arab are free and equal being castigated, hour in, hour out, by countries whose regimes practice racism, incongruent racism in their laws and their daily practice. Does it not beg the question?

“Why not examine the racism practiced in so many countries who have been speaking so profusely? Why pick on a small Jewish State? I suspect because it is Jewish and small. I doesn’t surprise me…because we are a people who have lived with this form of discrimination, anti-Semitism for centuries.

‘PERNICIOUS ANTI-SEMITIC RESOLUTION’

“How dare you talk of racism to us, we who suffered more than any other nation in the world from racist theories and practices, a nation which has suffered the most terrifying holocaust in the history of mankind. For centuries we have suffered from racism, we suffer today from racism in a number of countries including from Arab racism as practiced in so many of the sponsor countries.

“The sponsors have the effrontery to talk of racism. It lies not in your mouths. You have degraded this world organization by introducing this anti-Semitic element into the world today, and in so doing you will destroy it ultimately. My delegation regrets its inability to vote in favor of this resolution because it is linked…to a wicked and pernicious anti-Semitic resolution. The sponsors have by their action in introducing an extraneous irrelevant matter here contrived to destroy a consensus on the issue of racism and indeed to endanger the entire Decade for Action. Therefore, we shall vote against the entire Item in all its var- ious resolutions…

“This is a sad day for the United Nations. The Jewish people will not forget this scene nor this vote. We are a small people with a proud history. We have lived through much in our history. We have survived all our oppressors and enemies over the centuries. We shall survive this shameful exhibition. But we the Jewish people shall not forget. We shall not forgot those who spoke up for decency and civilization and I thank the delegations who have expressed themselves against this pernicious resolution. We shall not forget those who voted to attack our religion and our faith. We shall never forget.”