Jewish, but not Israeli, victims to be recognised by Israel
The Government of Israel has approved a proposal to recognise the obligation of The State of Israel as the State of the Jewish People to commemorate and recognise those Diaspora Jews, not citizens of Israel, murdered in antisemitic attacks in the Diaspora for the sole reason of their being Jewish.
This is the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel that murdered Diaspora Jews will officially be remembered.
Yaakov Haagoel Photo: Marc Israel Seller
The Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli green-lighted the proposal initiated by the Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Yaakov Hagoel,
The World Zionist Organization worked to promote this proposal that was based on a study by the Ruderman Family Foundation that laid out the guidelines for promoting this historic step.
The proposal states that a special committee will be established and headed by the Director General of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism that will examine the manner in which those murdered will be commemorated. The proposal aims to grant recognition to the many families in the Diaspora who lost their loved ones in Antisemitic attacks and deepen the connection and mutual responsibility between the State of Israel and its citizens with the Jews of the Diaspora, who all share a common destiny.
Chairman of the World Zionist Organization Yaakov Hagoel said: “I initiated the move about a year ago after I met with bereaved families from the Diaspora and felt their great pain. I congratulate Minister Chikli, the Government of Israel and our partners for promoting this important Zionist decision. This is an important and necessary step for a nation and a country that has struggled with Antisemitism since its inception. Our brothers and sisters living in the Diaspora are an inseparable part of us, and unfortunately, they struggle every day with Antisemitic events. We will work together with our partners to implement this decision for the sake of all the People of Israel.”
As part of the decision, a special committee will be established, including representatives from the Israeli government and the National Institutions, whose mission will be to formulate recommendations to recognise those Jews. The committee chaired by the Director General of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Avi Cohen Scali will submit its conclusions to the Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Anti-Semitism no later than September 1, 2023.
The committee will be responsible for examining, among other things, the following proposals:
Establishing criteria and standards for commemorating those killed in the Diaspora, including the definition of a hostile action of an Antisemitic nature.
The committee will also look into incidents of murder of non-Jews in attacks of an Antisemitic nature in the Diaspora.
In Australia, Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler welcomed the move.
He said: “The decision reflects the dual role that the State of Israel plays as a state of its citizens, but also as the state for all Jewish people. Wherever Jews are attacked in the world, the entire Jewish community mourns. It makes sense that Israel would commemorate all those killed in antisemitic attacks.”
