In Holocaust Day statement, EU says fighting anti-Semitism ‘more urgent than ever’

The European Union delegation in Israel says fighting anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance is “more urgent than ever,” in a statement issued on Holocaust Memorial Day.

In a joint statement, the 27 embassies of EU member states present in Israel say they “stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and the Jewish people around the world, in commemorating the 6 million Jews who were brutally murdered in the Holocaust.”

“On this day we reaffirm our responsibility to never forget. Time cannot erase the atrocities, nor bring solace to the survivors. The inconceivable crimes of the past can only spur us on to constantly renew our resolve to never allow these horrors to happen again.

“We are today witnessing again a rise of anti-Semitism, hatred and intolerance. The potential for evil is ever present. Upholding the values of democracy, human dignity and fundamental rights, on which the European Union was founded, are more relevant and urgent than ever,” the EU says.

“Our Union was built to respond to the Shoah and the horrors of World War II. Remembering the Holocaust and fighting anti-Semitism is our duty towards Jewish citizens in Europe and elsewhere in the world and indispensable to protect our common values.”

Israel will mark its annual Holocaust Remembrance Day at sundown.