The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution to declare January 27th as the new annual international day to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust.
On January 27th, 1945 Ausshwitz-Birkenau was liberated.
Deputy Minister Michael Melchior, who is responsible for the government's response to anti-Semitism, welcomed the decision. "This important declaration by the United Nations comes very late, but better late than never. By declaring this day, the United Nations is recognizing the importance of dealing with anti-Semitism which gave birth to the most terrible crime in the history of humanity," he said.
According to Melchior, "By its decision to institute an international day of Holocaust Remembrance, the United Nations is giving recognition to the fact that the attempted extermination of the Jewish people serves as a warning to all of humanity of the dangers of hatred and racism which can even lead to the extermination of a people."
Yad Vashem issued the following statement: "The United Nations, by adopting this resolution, expressed its recognition of the importance of Holocaust remembrance as well as the role that Holocaust education plays in safeguarding basic human values," said Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev.
Shalev praised the resolution for emphasizing the importance of educating about the Holocaust. "Beyond the ceremonial and symbolic significance of marking Holocaust Memorial Days, the resolution recognizes the need for supporting ongoing education about the Holocaust," he said.
Jewish Agency Chairman Ze'ev Bielski applauded the resolution. "Sixty years after The Holocaust, the nations of the world are uniting to preserve its memory for future generations. This is an important decision taking into account the fact that the number of Holocaust survivors is decreasing every year as they pass on and this historic decision will guarantee that the memory of the Holocaust and its lessons will not be erased."
Israel's UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman thanked the 191 members of the General Assembly "at this unique and historic moment ... for adopting this unprecedented resolution."
However, after the vote, Egypt's UN Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz complained that the day should commemorate all victims of genocide and not be limited just to victims of the Holocaust.
The resolution emphasizes both "the duty to remember" and "the duty to educate" future generations about the mass slaughter.
More than a dozen countries spoke during the debate on the resolution which began Monday and ended Tuesday morning.
As the world marks the 60th anniversaries this year of both the founding of the UN and the end of World War II, Israel's Gillerman told the General Assembly on Monday that the Nazi slaughter must never be forgotten.
The resolution was sponsored initially by Israel, the United States, Australia, Canada and Russia. Gillerman said Tuesday it had 104 co-sponsors.
The resolution urges individual countries to develop educational programs to try to prevent future acts of genocide.
It also rejects any denial of the Holocaust, condemns discrimination and violence based on religion or ethnicity, and calls for the U.N. to establish an outreach program to encourage the public to engage in Holocaust remembrance activities.
"The UN bears a special responsibility to ensure that the Holocaust and its lessons are never forgotten and that this tragedy will forever stand as a warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice," said Gillerman.
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