Brown signs declaration against anti-Semitism

LONDON (JTA) — Britain’s prime minister became the first world leader to sign the London Declaration on combating anti-Semitism.

The measure was adopted last week in the British capital by 125 legislators from more than 40 countries at a coalition meeting to combat anti-Semitism.

On signing the declaration, Gordon Brown said,  “So many of the principles it enshrines are already things we are doing here in Britain, and while I’m proud of the bold action Britain has taken to combat anti-Semitism such as improved reporting, prosecutions for anti-Semitic Internet hate and the funding of Holocaust education in schools, there is no room for complacency.

He noted that the Department for Communities and Local Government is organizing an event at Beth Shalom, the Holocaust Center, to look in detail at how the government can implement the declaration.

"I encourage other heads of government to become signatories to this historic agreement," Brown said. "Ttogether our renewed efforts can rid the world of this ancient virus."

The London Declaration called on legislators to “expose, challenge and isolate political actors who engage in hate against Jews and target the State of Israel as a Jewish collectivity.” It also calls on governments to “challenge any foreign leader, politician or public figure who denies, denigrates or trivializes the Holocaust and must encourage civil society to be vigilant to this phenomenon and to openly condemn it.”

The London Declaration also calls on the United Nations to” reaffirm its call for every member state to commit itself to the principles laid out in the Holocaust Remembrance initiative, including specific and targeted policies to eradicate Holocaust denial and trivialization.” It also calls for action on education for the public and the authorities.