The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation Oleksandr Merezhko signed a joint statement on anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim bigotry initiated by the Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The statement was signed by the chairmen of 23 foreign affairs committees of the parliaments of Armenia, Austria (National and Federal Councils), Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, the European Parliament, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
In a joint statement, the parliamentarians condemned the dangerous rise of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim bigotry in European countries after Hamas’ attack on Israel.
The joint statement, in particular, condemns the outpouring of hatred and violence in many countries that followed “Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel on 7 October this year”.
The Chairpersons of the Committees draw attention to the inadmissibility of the rise in acts of bigotry and violence, such as hate speech on the Internet, vandalism, desecration of Holocaust memorials and cemeteries, intimidation, physical attacks and death threats.
On behalf of their constituents living in democratic countries, the Chairmen of the Committees declare that such acts are unacceptable for their countries and call on governments to make every effort to protect Jewish and Muslim communities and to implement national strategies to combat the wave of bigotry and hatred.