‘’We at Yad Vashem, are particularly sensitive to the toxic dangers of antisemitism, in its many forms and contexts, and to its destructive implications – not only for Jews, but for all of civilized society. Yad Vashem, has learned, and ardently teaches, about the painful truth of the fragility of democratic societies, and the need to perpetually buttress their effective commitment to tolerance, pluralism and human rights.’’
JERUSALEM—Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, strongly condemned Wednesday’s antisemitic attack against the Jewish community of Halle, Germany.
A neo-Nazi gunned killed two people and injured several others during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
The assailant, who has been identified as Stephan Balliet, 27, first attempted to break into the city’s synagogue, but was unable to open the massive wooden doors, which were bolted shut.
After failing to gain entry to the synagogue, Balliet shot a passerby, a woman in her 50s. Minutes later he attacked a nearby kebab shop with bombs and improvised weapons, killing one. in the 30 minutes before it was taken down, according to the video platform.
‘’This latest occurrence is yet another reminder that antisemitism is still alarmingly evident worldwide. Yad Vashem deeply identifies and sympathizes with the victims and their families,’’ it said.
In a statement, Yad Vashem said the leadership of the international community ‘’must declare that in our post-Holocaust global society, there is no room for antisemitism, racism or xenophobia.’’
‘’We at Yad Vashem, are particularly sensitive to the toxic dangers of antisemitism, in its many forms and contexts, and to its destructive implications – not only for Jews, but for all of civilized society. Yad Vashem, has learned, and ardently teaches, about the painful truth of the fragility of democratic societies, and the need to perpetually buttress their effective commitment to tolerance, pluralism and human rights.’’
The president of the Jewish Agency, Isaac Herzog, said in response to the attack that “the entire world sees and hears what is happening and must understand that there can be no compromise in the fight against hatred of Jews and anti-Semitism.”
Herzog said the Jewish Agency would support Halle’s Jewish community and added that he had spoken with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, “who expressed his deep disturbance regarding the attack on the synagogue in Halle, saying, ‘This is an attack on all of us. We all stand together on the frontlines against anti-Semitism.’ ”
