In his opening address of the Future of the Gospel Forum in Istanbul, where 250 leaders from the evangelical world meet in 15 tracks discussing future developments, the Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), Thomas Paul Schirrmacher, stated, that as part of the people and country responsible for the Holocaust he is shocked to see people in the streets of Germany’s capital Berlin celebrating the killing of Jews and distributing sweeties, while Hamas wages a war against innocent civilians.
He stated, that this is exactly what the definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), speaks about, which he personally endorses in the following version (that is without the examples):
Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.
Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.
“The IHRA non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism” is endorsed by the Secretary General of the United Nations, the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief, 43 UN-States, the European Union, the European Council, the Organization of [Latin] American States, MERCOSUR, the Anglican Communion, the European Evangelical Alliance and the Pentecostal World Fellowship. The countries endorsing IHRA includes both countries, that traditionally lean more to the side of Israel, ans those that lean more to the side of Palestinians.
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