GENEVA – On behalf of 49 countries, Austrian Ambassador Désirée Schweitzer on Friday reaffirmed both an unequivocal dedication to combating antisemitism and a firm commitment to addressing antisemitic hate amid a surge of violence against Jewish individuals and communities.
The pledge came during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
This marks the fourth year such a statement was presented before the UN’s top human rights body. The initiative, led by Austria, Czechia and Slovakia and supported by the World Jewish Congress, is part of a wider effort to counter antisemitism across the United Nations.
“We have witnessed an escalation of antisemitism around the world, with Jewish individuals and communities facing physical and verbal attack,” Amb. Schweitzer said, referencing the October 7 terror attacks in Israel. She added that this hatred represents a “threat to human rights, democracy, the rule of law and peaceful coexistence.”
“Jewish students have been excluded on campuses, antisemitic discourse online has reached alarming levels [and] people are attacked for showing their Jewish identity,” the ambassador said. “We are also worried by instances of Holocaust distortion and all kinds of disinformation, which is a breeding ground for antisemitism.”
Amb. Schweitzer also said peer-to-peer learning, empathy and tolerance were essential to making any strides, as well as “collective and concrete actions throughout the UN system.”
Dr. Leon Saltiel, WJC representative to the United Nations in Geneva, welcomed the address: “We salute the leadership of Austria, Czechia and Slovakia at the Human Rights Council and their commitment to fight antisemitism and build more resilient societies. This statement anchors antisemitism as a top priority for the United Nations, at a time when we witness its alarming surge, normalization and mainstreaming around the world, especially in the wake of the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas.”
Read the statement with the full list of signatories here.
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