26 July 2001
Yad Vashem condemns attempts by representatives of the Arab nations to change the meaning of the term Holocaust, and opposes such blunt and crude use of the Holocaust in a political conflict, as well as its cynical use to serve varying interests.
The Holocaust demonstrates a total collapse of the fundamental values on which human civilization is based. The Holocaust was not the consequence of a conflict of opposing interests but was born out of racist ideology, the aim of which was planned to systematically wipe out anyone defined as Jewish.
In a July letter to the Secretary-General of the UN, Kofi Annan, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate, Avner Shalev, called upon the United Nations, and all the world nations, in particular the European nations whose citizens were deported, and on whose territories its Jews were murdered, to overcome their political concerns and prevent distortions of reality based on a web of political lies, which will result in harming of the international community at large.
Shalev's letter (below) was a request to the Secretary-General prior to the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, which took place in Durban, South Africa, to reject the redefinition by Arab representatives of the word "Holocaust."
Kofi Annan
Secretary General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
26th July 2001
Dear Mr.Annan,
I write to you with an appeal to prevent the representatives of the Arab nations from redefining the term Holocaust at the forthcoming World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban.
The Holocaust was not the consequence of a conflict of opposing interests but was born out of racist ideology. The Holocaust was the planned and systematic destruction of anyone defined as Jewish, and it demonstrates a total collapse of the fundamental values on which human civilization is based, and as such Yad Vashem condemns the attempts by the Arab Nations to change the meaning of the term Holocaust, and opposes their cynical use of the Holocaust in a political conflict.
I therefore call upon the United Nations, and all the world nations - in particular the European nations whose citizens were deported, and on whose territories its Jews were murdered - to overcome their political concerns. This should be done so as to prevent distortions of reality based on a web of political lies, which will in the end harm the international community at large.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Avner Shalev
Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate
cc:
General Colin Powell, US Secretary of State
Rabbi Michael Melchior, Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel
