Anti-Semitism can undermine trust in government, divide society, and destroy democracy both domestically and globally, posing a serious threat to national and international security. This can be seen especially clearly in the example of the Kremlin, which uses anti-Semitism to spread disinformation and propaganda to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, made this statement during a speech at the fifth Kyiv Jewish Forum in Washington, D.C.
This year's forum, organized by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and The Jerusalem Post, is dedicated to the issues of countering the modern axis of evil, which is formed by Russia, Iran, and North Korea, as well as countering anti-Semitism around the world.
“The notion that anti-Semitism is limited to the fringe groups is a dangerous misconception. It does not hide in the shadows. On the contrary, it influences attitudes and behavior in all segments of our community, from session halls to school classrooms. It is necessary to fight in real earnest against this pervasive hatred,” Lipstadt emphasized.
She is sure that anti-Semitism threatens not only the well-being of Jews, but also democracy around the world.
The US Special Envoy believes that the role of the United States in addressing this issue is crucial. The United States has recently led a global effort to counter the sharp rise in anti-Semitism, joined by more than 40 governments and international organizations, including Ukraine, to launch the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism.
“All leaders must expose anti-Semitism whenever and wherever it occurs,” Lipstadt said.
This year, the main venue for holding the Fifth Kyiv Jewish Forum is Washington, D.C. The media partners of KJF-2024 are NV, Oboz.ua, RBC-Ukraine, Telegraf.ua, Inter.
Let’s recall that KJF-2024 opened with an opening speech by Boris Lozhkin, President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, Vice President of the World Jewish Congress. In particular, he reminded that during the previous term of Donald Trump, Ukraine began to receive more actively military support, which subsequently helped to counter Russian aggression.