U.S. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Condemning the Rise of Anti-Semitism in Europe

Press Release

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced a bipartisan Senate Resolution condemning Anti-Semitism in Europe. The Resolution which was authored by Menendez and co-sponsored by 55 other Senators, including Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Mark Kirk (R- IL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), calls upon the U.S. Secretary of State, the Attorney General and other relevant government agencies to work closely with the European Union and European governments to further address anti-Semitism in Europe.

"Seventy years after the liberation of Auschwitz, we are witnessing an alarming rise in anti-Semitic sentiment in Europe that must be condemned and addressed. Anti-Semitic attacks and incidents in Europe and around the world are a challenge not only to international stability and security, but to our shared morality as human beings," Senator Menendez said. "This Resolution firmly recommits the United States and its European allies to combat anti-Semitism with even greater resolve, vowing to never again allow the atrocities of the past to be repeated."

"The murder of four Jewish individuals at a kosher deli in Paris following the Charlie Hebdo massacre was a direct affront to basic human rights and dignity," Senator Kirk said. "Seventy years after the liberation of Auschwitz, it is clear that our work to keep men and women of all faiths safe from violence must never stop."

"The recent anti-Semitic attacks in Europe are extremely disturbing and have no place in the modern world," Senator Mikulski said. "To a generation that experienced the incomprehensible and indescribable atrocities of the Holocaust, these recent events are a reminder of the destructive nature of intolerance. It is our shared obligation to stand in solidarity with the Jewish Community in condemning these attacks. This resolution reaffirms the need for action and change to ensure that Jews in Europe and throughout the world, along with those of all faiths, are free from persecution based on religious beliefs."

"The recent rise in anti-Semitism in Europe is a disturbing reminder of the constant trials facing the Jewish people and the state of Israel," Senator Rubio said. "This Resolution ensures that America will actively cooperate with European officials to combat the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe. Having recently marked the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, we are reminded of how important it is for the good people of the world to be proactive in stopping hatred from taking root."