International Holocaust Remembrance Day; Biden: We are witnessing a concerning rise in anti-Semitism worldwide

Joe Biden, the President of the United States, announced in a statement on Friday, February 25, one day before "International Holocaust Remembrance Day," that "in the wake of Hamas's brutal massacre, we have witnessed a concerning rise in hateful anti-Semitism both domestically and abroad." The U.S. President referred to reports of anti-Semitism in various parts of the world. According to Mr. Biden, "We cannot [on one hand] remember all that Holocaust survivors experienced and [on the other hand] remain silent when Jews are once again attacked and targeted today." Saturday, January 27, corresponds with "International Holocaust Remembrance Day," designated by the United Nations to honor the memory of six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany during World War II. On January 27, 1945, the largest Nazi death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, was liberated by the Soviet Red Army. It was later revealed that over 1.1 million innocent people, primarily Jews, as well as Romani (Gypsies), Sinti, Poles, and other minorities were massacred at Auschwitz. The United Nations General Assembly, in November 2005, designated this day to commemorate all Holocaust victims and to promote international education to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive and prevent future genocides. Currently, nearly 245,000 Holocaust survivors live in 90 countries around the world, with almost half of them, 119,300 individuals, residing in Israel. Many Israelis compare the October 7 massacre with the Holocaust. Various ceremonies are held worldwide on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has mentioned lighting candles in memory of the victims, reading their names at memorial sites, and learning more about Holocaust history as some ways to commemorate this day. Although January 27 is a global day for Holocaust remembrance, many countries have also designated other days for this purpose. Israel has dedicated the fifth and sixth of May, coinciding with "Rosh Hashanah" or the Jewish New Year, for this remembrance. Many Israeli citizens compare the Holocaust genocide with the October 7 massacre by Hamas. The Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on this day was the largest massacre of Jews in a single attack since the Holocaust, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, many of whom were civilians. Hamas militants also took over 240 hostages, including young children and the elderly. Joe Biden condemned the October 7 attack again in a statement on Friday and announced his administration's plans to combat the rise of anti-Semitism since this terrorist attack. In Washington, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum hosted memorial ceremonies for Holocaust victims on Friday and Saturday. Visitors can read the names of victims in the "Hall of Remembrance," connect with Holocaust survivors, and watch a special segment of a series produced by the museum to honor the memory of Holocaust victims. On Friday, the United Nations Holocaust memorial ceremony was hosted by Melissa Fleming, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. During this event, Holocaust survivors shared their memories with the audience, and other guest speakers commemorated the day. António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, in his opening remarks, stated: "We have witnessed a surge in anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim bias around the world. Each of us must decide to stand against the forces of hate, discrimination, and division." Gilad Erdan, Israel's representative to the United Nations, also stated: "Today is not just a day of remembrance; this day is also designated to prevent future genocides - to internalize the lessons of the Holocaust." He expressed disappointment with the UN, saying: "To this day, none of the UN-affiliated bodies have condemned the October 7 massacre. This is shocking." Earlier this month, South Africa brought a charge of "genocide" against Israel in the International Court of Justice due to Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. In its preliminary ruling issued on Friday, the court did not call for a halt to the assault in Gaza but urged Israel to do everything in its power to prevent genocide in Gaza. Following the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel, the Israeli army launched an assault on Gaza aimed at destroying this militant group. Health officials in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, claim that over 26,000 Palestinians have lost their lives so far, without mentioning Hamas casualties. Israel, while rejecting accusations of "genocide," has stated that the goal of the assault on Gaza is to destroy Hamas and has repeatedly emphasized that it is doing everything possible to minimize civilian casualties among Palestinians, but Hamas uses civilians as human shields. The President of Germany stated: "We will not allow Hamas to achieve its goal of destroying Israel." The President of Israel expressed gratitude to the U.S.; Jews around the world must be safe. The Chancellor of Germany expressed "shame and anger" over anti-Semitism in commemorating the anniversary of the Jewish massacre. Additional news: Seven people were arrested in three European countries on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks. Senator Schumer stated: "Anti-Semitism in America has reached a 'critical point.'"