News from the United Nations

Iran’s Election to UN Women’s Body Draws Outrage From Rights Activists

Iran’s election to the U.N.’s top women’s empowerment body despite having a poor record has drawn outrage from rights activists who criticized the Islamic republic’s treatment of women. The result of the secret ballot also has been met with silence from the U.S. 43 of the 54 nations in the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) elected Iran to the Commission on the Status of Women for a four-year term beginning next year. The commission is the U.N.’s principal intergovernmental body dedicated to “the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.”

Iran received the smallest number of votes of the five nations elected to the body. Of the other four elected nations, China and Japan were already commission members while Lebanon and Pakistan will be new additions. Iran was not currently a member of the commission. Iran’s poor record on women’s rights was under fire at the world body earlier this year.

In his annual address to the U.N. Human Rights Council, U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, noted “some positive steps” for Iranian women and girls in education and in citizenship rights. But he also said, “egregious gender-based discrimination persists in law, practice and societal attitudes, disempowering women and girls from participating and contributing in society.”

Austria-based Iranian rights activist Sholeh Zamini denounced Iran’s election to the commission as “shameful.” She said Iran will be the only country in the 45-member commission to have not ratified the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. “Not only has Iran not done this, but it is acting quite systematically to violate women’s rights,” she said.

Other Iranian women’s rights activists expressed similar sentiments on social media. Hillel Neuer, the executive director of the Geneva-based group UN Watch, said in an online statement that while ECOSOC typically rubber-stamps regional groups’ nominations for the Commission on the Status of Women, the U.S. exercised its authority as an ECOSOC member to call for a vote.

“I commend the Biden administration for forcing the vote, but they should also speak out to condemn the obscene election of [Iranian Supreme Leader] Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime to a women’s rights body,” Neuer said.

Since only 11 of ECOSOC’s 54 members did not vote for Iran in Tuesday’s secret ballot, Neuer noted that at least four of the council’s 15 European Union (EU) and Western Group democracies voted in favor of Iran. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment on how the U.S. voted and what it thinks of votes by its allies. Neuer expressed disappointment in the U.S. “going silent” on the issue. “Those who believe in the founding values of the United Nations cannot be silent when they are subverted,” he wrote.

In the Biden administration’s first report on Iran’s human rights record published last month, the State Department highlighted multiple issues with women’s rights including a “lack of meaningful investigation of and accountability for violence against women” and “significant legal, religious, and cultural barriers to political participation” for women.

“I hope that the U.S. & EU states negotiating with the Iranian regime over its nuclear weapons program did not make a Faustian bargain to betray women in Iran who are subjugated, discriminated against in law and practice and criminalized if they sing, dance or show their hair,” Neuer said.

This is yet another display of the United Nations favoring Iran, even though they have blatant rights violations and constantly attacks Israel over every move that they make.

UN Opens Israeli War Crimes Probe, Calls For Embargo

The United Nations Human Rights Council voted 24-9 to launch an investigation against Israel for alleged war crimes, including during the recent war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and called for an arms embargo against the Jewish state. An additional 14 countries out of the 47-member body abstained. It marks the first time that the UNHRC created a permanent fact-finding mission with respect to any UN member state. Israel’s Foreign Ministry immediately stated that it had no intention of cooperating with the probe.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “Today’s shameful decision is yet another example of the UN Human Rights Council’s blatant anti-Israel obsession. Once again, an immoral automatic majority at the Council whitewashes a genocidal terrorist organization that deliberately targets Israeli civilians while turning Gaza’s civilians into human shields. This while depicting as the ‘guilty party’ a democracy acting legitimately to protect its citizens from thousands of indiscriminate rocket attacks. This travesty makes a mockery of international law and encourages terrorists worldwide.”

In the debate that preceded the vote, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet warned that Israeli actions may already constitute “war crimes.” The “commission of inquiry” would examine incidents that occurred both before and after April 13, 2021 within sovereign Israel, including Jerusalem, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The decision to call for such a probe was submitted by the Palestinian Authority and Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The United States said it was “deeply unfortunate” that the vote occurred “while we and others have been working to uphold and strengthen the ceasefire, ensure humanitarian assistance to Gaza.” It’s Geneva mission added that creation of a probe “threatens to imperil the progress that has been made in recent weeks... We will continue to advocate for Israel to be treated fairly in the Human Rights Council.” Germany took issue with an “indefinite” commission of inquiry that would “far exceed” any past fact-finding probes.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Meirav Eilon Shahar warned the council against making a moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas, noting that prior to the start of the Gaza war one of its leaders called to cut off the heads of Jews. “On May 7th, a senior Hamas leader, Fathi Hammad, said and I quote “cut off the heads of the Jews with knives.” Just three days later, Hamas launched an unprovoked, unjustified attack against the civilian population in Israel, while cynically hiding military infrastructure in the midst of Gaza’s civilian population. This constitutes a double war crime,” Eilon Shahar said. “We will make no apologies for defending our citizens. Israel has the capabilities to defend its people in accordance with international law and we will continue to do so,” she said. Earlier in the day, she said, those who support the Palestinians should condemn Hamas.

During the debate Bachelet agreed Hamas caused deaths and injuries in southern Israel and its “rockets are indiscriminate and fail to distinguish between military and civilian objects, and their use, thereby, constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law.” Such violations include Hamas launching rockets from civilian areas, she said. “However, the actions of one party do not absolve the other from its obligations under international law,” Bachelet explained, nor did she accuse Hamas of potential war crimes. This is yet another example of the United Nations blatant attacks on Israel while failure to hold other groups accountable.

Favorable View of Palestinian Authority on the Rise

Recently in Atlanta, as hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied downtown, one sign stood out: “We can’t breathe since 1948,” it read – a nod to the social unrest of the past year after the death of George Floyd. Experts said it’s a reflection of the way American support for the Palestinian cause is growing. A recent Gallup poll showed it was on the rise even before the latest Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Results of Gallup’s annual World Affairs poll, released in March, show that although most Americans still sympathize with Israel, favorable views of Palestinians are on the rise. Roughly 30% of overall respondents said they had favorable views of the Palestinian Authority, up from 21% in 2018 and higher than the annual average of 19% since 2001. Such views are increasingly partisan: Republican support for Israel is at 85% compared with 77% of Independents and 64% of Democrats. The percentage of Republicans who view the Palestinian Authority favorably has risen to 19%, up from 9% in 2018.

Omar Baddar, communication director for the California-based Institute for Middle East Understanding, said that even before the recent conflict, liberals had been increasingly critical of Israel. Although more Americans say the United States should pressure Palestinians more than Israel to resolve the conflict, Gallup reports those saying the onus is on Israel represent a new high of 34%, up from 27% in 2018.

Celebrities are increasingly outspoken about Palestinian support. This has caused an increase in support in the younger generations that many times blindly follow their favorite celebrities. Thousands demonstrated from Boston to Los Angeles, supporting Palestinians in rallies and marches marking the 73rd anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. Among those marching in New York City’s Brooklyn borough was supermodel Bella Hadid whose father is Palestinian. Entertainers Rihanna, Zayn Malik and Rage Against the Machine posted Palestinian support on Instagram. Actors Mark Ruffalo, Susan Sarandon and Viola Davis took to Twitter to condemn Israel. Last year, actor Seth Rogen made waves when he said he was “fed a huge amount of lies about Israel” growing up as a Jewish boy, and his elders omitted information about Palestinian displacement.

The violence has also raised tensions with the United States. In Los Angeles, a brawl broke out outside a sushi restaurant between sidewalk diners and a group of men passing by in cars waving Palestinian flags. In Michigan, President Joe Biden’s visit to a Ford plant in heavily Arab American Dearborn was met with protest over U.S. support of Israel.

Some see similarities between struggles of Palestinians and Black community in U.S. When the most recent conflict began, the Black Lives Matter chapter in Paterson, New Jersey, issued a statement expressing Palestinian solidarity. “Our deep roots of solidarity are part of a rich tradition of mutual support and exchange between Palestine and U.S.-based liberation movements.”

Baddar said the link between the struggles of Palestinians and Black Americans – a concept scholars call Black-Palestinian transnational solidarity – dates to the 1980s, when Jesse Jackson ran for president on a platform that included demands for Palestinian human rights. The years since have produced other comparisons in terms of discriminations and militarized police response, he said.

Although most Americans still support Israel, one cannot downplay the significance of celebrity political activism to sway the younger generation. In the future, this could lead America away from supporting Israel.

Chinese Crackdown on Christian Apps

International Christian Concern reports the Chinese government is targeting Christianity through cyberspace. Bible Apps have been removed from the App Store in China and Christian WeChat public accounts have been shut down. ICC is a non-partisan Christian organization based in the United States that “exists to relieve the suffering of the worldwide persecuted church and help it grow.”

 The ICC report references a tweet from Father Francis Liu from the Chinese Christian Fellowship of Righteousness in which he states: “some decent Christian WeChat accounts are no longer available online. A few snapshots of Christian accounts’ landing page such as ‘Gospel League’ and ‘Life Quarterly’ no longer show any content.”

Pastor Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid a group that provides aid to persecuted Christians, wrote that “official WeChat public accounts aimed at providing resources on Bible & guides on edifying the church to Chinese Christians were suddenly suspended. #CCP suspends Old Gospel & The Gospel Coalition. Both have large number of readers within China’s pastoral network.”

 Instead of the normal landing pages for these accounts, a message stating, ‘[We] received a report that [this account] violates the ‘Internet User Public Account Information Services Management Provisions’ and its account has been blocked and suspended” is shown.

 In the middle of removing Christian platforms, China has launched a hotline to report people for “mistaken opinions.” According to Reuters, this hotline is a crackdown on “historical nihilism,” a term used in China to describe public doubt or skepticism over the Chinese Communist Party’s account of the past.

 The Cyberspace Administration of China developed this online service with the hope that “most internet users will play an active role in supervising society and enthusiastically report harmful information.”

 This movement goes hand in hand with a recent change to the nation’s constitution in which people who “insult, slander, or infringe upon” the memory of national heroes or martyrs could face up to three years in jail.

 Scott Kennedy, a senior advisor and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Newsweek, “this new initiative isn’t really a debate about history. It’s simply an effort of the current leadership to control the conversation about Chinese history and to limit any debate about interpretations of different events, all with the goal of putting the current leadership and [President] Xi Jinping in the most positive light.”

 Robert P. George, legal scholar and professor at Princeton University fears there will “likely be a big demand for this app in the U.S. What a tool for thought- and speech-police everywhere.” As cancel culture pervades our nation and we see more restrictions on free speech, it could be just a matter of time before the demand for this app becomes a reality.

 PRAY: Pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in China. Intercede of behalf of the faithful pastors and lay leaders and the expanded reach of the Gospel. Although the Chinese government regulates and restricts all aspects of communication, the underground church continues to grow. We know there is no containing God’s Word and His Will!

Historic Middle East Agreement

Last week, Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalize relations between the two nations and establish full diplomatic ties. In this agreement, led by the United States and brokered by President Donald Trump, the UAE became the first Arab country to formalize a relationship with Israel in more than 25 years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed agreed to exchange ambassadors and open each country to tourism and trade.

A joint statement released by the United States, Israel and the UAE, expressed that “this historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential of the region. All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement.”

This agreement launched the Strategic Agenda for the Middle East working to expand diplomatic, trade, and security cooperation, thus leading to better lives for ALL peoples in these regions. It also led to immediate cooperation between the nations to develop a coronavirus vaccine to help save Muslim, Jewish, and Christian lives.

As for their part of the deal, Israel said it would halt annexation in the Jordan Valley and other parts of the occupied West Bank. Iran and Turkey have both denounce the agreement. However, Middle East expert Joel Rosenberg told CBN News that he believes Turkey’s reaction to the peace deal is revealing:

“Why is that interesting? Because Turkey has a relationship [with Israel]. They have full normalization with us here in Israel. So, the idea that the would-be ‘sultan’ of Turkey is condemning a Muslim state for creating a full normalization with Israel that he already has, it’s ridiculous and it’s hypocritical.

“It’s indicative of the fact that Erdogan [Turkey’s president] is taking his country out of the western moderate camp, into the Iranian, Islamism more radical camp. And that’s a long-term, very serious problem.”

The UAE is the third Arab country to have full diplomatic ties to Israel. Egypt and Jordan are the first two Arab countries to have such a relationship with Israel.

Pray: President Erdogan and the leaders of Iran have stated in the past that they want to conquer the Holy City. We must continue to pray for the ever-changing relationships in the Middle East and for the

peace of Jerusalem.

Turkey Continues to Stir Tension in Middle East

There are growing concerns about Turkey’s military operations in northern Iraq, after Ankara began bombing areas of the country claiming it was “fighting terrorists.” Turkey began operation “Claw-Tiger” on June 17 and it seems to come in the context of Turkey launching new military attacks every month in different countries to distract from failures at home by Ankara’s leading party. Turkey has had almost a year of near-constant new conflicts and militarist saber-rattling.

Last spring and summer it threatened to invade eastern Syria, threatening US troops and the Trump administration in the process. The US tried to appease Turkey by having its anti-ISIS partners on the ground remove obstacles to Turkey’s invasion. It wasn’t enough, in October Turkey told Washington it would begin bombing the region and US troops must move. After Ankara’s October offensive, in which some 200,000 people were forced to flee, Ankara signed a deal with the Tripoli-based government in Libya to help Tripoli fight opposition groups and secure Turkey’s energy demands in the Mediterranean.

Ankara then shipped thousands of Syrians to Libya to fight and sent drones to hammer the Benghazi-based Libyan National Army. In December and January, Turkey was busy heating up the Libya conflict, before moving on to stoke tensions with Russia and the Syrian regime in Idlib. Ankara threatened to send Syrian refugees to Europe during the Idlib crises of February and March.

In April and May, Turkey returned to fighting in Libya, capturing a key military base at Watiya. Then the Ankara regime decided to increase Turkey’s airstrikes in Iraq, claiming to begin fighting the “Kurdistan Workers Party,” known as the PKK. On June 17, Turkey launched airstrikes against Yazidi areas of Sinjar and near Christian villages along the border, forcing Kurds to flee the battles. Iraq has expressed increasing concern about the attacks, which appear to be coordinated with Iran.

Turkey has used the excuse of “fighting the PKK” to invade northern Iraq and Syria, taking over Afrin, Jarabulus and Tel Abyad, as well as to establish more than a dozen military bases. Turkey and the PKK once had a ceasefire before 2015, but it broke down. Since then, Turkey has claimed it has a right to bomb anywhere that members of groups linked to the PKK exist. This includes bombing unarmed people who are members of far-left groups that Turkey labels “PKK.” Turkey has produced no information that these groups are involved in armed attacks on Turkey this year.

The bombings in Iraq have created tensions with Arab states, including the Gulf which opposes Turkey’s actions. This is linked to the wider regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Ankara says it expects Iraq’s cooperation. Iraq has internal troubles with ISIS insurgents and disputes between the US and Iran, as well as Iranian-backed militias mobilized across the country. This means Iraq is so divided it has trouble opposing, even diplomatically, Turkey’s actions. A variety of Iraqi officials have nevertheless spoken up about the increasing war in northern Iraq.

While some US voices have expressed concern, including a tweet by the State Department after three women were killed in a Turkish air strike in Syria, most remain silent. Representative Jim Cooper from Nashville tweeted over the weekend that he was extremely disturbed by reports of “Turkish military attack on Kurdish people in Iraq.” Voices at the US Commission on International Religious Freedom have also expressed concern and called for an end to the attacks. Anytime that Turkey shows aggression in the region, Ezekiel 38-39 come to mind and it is possible that that event could happen in our lifetime.

Pray- Pray that the tensions will lessen in the Middle East and that the innocents in the region will be protected.

Iran Army Spokesman Warns US in Persian Gulf

A spokesman for the Iranian military said that the United States should be wary of any aggression in the Persian Gulf. His comments come in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to target Iranian IRGC fast boats that have harassed the U.S. Navy over the last month. The comments are the latest threats that continue between Tehran and Washington and have increased over the last year. Iran has launched attacks on ships and Saudi Arabia and has sent proxies to target U.S. forces in Iraq. The U.S. has responded with airstrikes. Both countries are wary of a war.

Brig. Gen. Abolfazi Shekarchi is a senior spokesman for the Iranian armed force. After hearing Trump’s comments, he went on a news program in Iran and described America’s threats as a kind of psychological war. “It is an attempt to gain points and public opinion in the upcoming US elections, and for the US President to escape from domestic problems, sometimes people say such things against us but we must say that in any case they are violating international law.”

He warned the Americans against making any mistakes. “They will receive a slap if they make a mistake and it will be a justifiable slap.” The Iranian armed forces are not usually leading the way in tensions with the US. Instead it is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that tend to harass US ships in the Gulf and mastermind the attacks in Iraq. The IRGC also downed a US drone last year. As such the comments by the Iranian army may also be designed to show that it is relevant. It recently took delivery of numerous new Iranian drones.

“We constantly critique our enemies, the Americans, and ask what are they doing in this region and the Persian Gulf.” He said all countries have a right to 100% security in the Gulf and he wondered what the Americans are doing so far from home, what are they “looking for,” he asked. “Not only do they have no answer to that question, but they are also harassing us and violating international law.” He said free passage of the Persian Gulf was a right for all ships. He reiterated that if the US takes the slightest action against Iran in its waters they will “be slapped harder than before, because we do not joke when it comes to the defense of our country.”

The Iranian army is working hard to fight the coronavirus he asserted. The armed forces have assisted at 58 hospitals, providing more than 10,000 beds and 31,000 staff members, he says. “In addition to preparing and being ready for the enemy, we are engaged in the fight against the virus,” he noted.

Trump's tweet comes one week after the Navy announced that 11 Iranian vessels had conducted "dangerous and harassing" approaches of U.S. ships in the international waters of the northern Persian Gulf, coming as close as 10 yards to a Coast Guard cutter.

"The IRGCN's dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision, were not in accordance," with international regulations, the Navy said at the time. The statement referred the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy.

The incident was the first provocative exchange between the two nations since early March, when U.S. and coalition aircraft struck Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group locations in Iraq in retaliation for the deaths of two U.S. troops in a rocket attack a day earlier. While the coronavirus has dominated the news cycles, there is still strong tensions throughout the Middle East.

Pray- Pray for wisdom and guidance on both sides in order to avoid a massive escalation of hostilities.

Turkey and Russia Reach Ceasefire in Syria

Turkey and Russia have agreed to a ceasefire deal in Syria’s Idlib region according to their two leaders after talks in Moscow to contain a conflict which has displaced nearly a million people in three months. Russian President Vladimir Putin, standing next to his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan, said he hoped their agreement would lead to a halt of military action in Syria’s last major rebel stronghold in the northwest of the country. “I express hope that these agreements will serve as a good basis for a cessation of military activity in the Idlib de-escalation zone (and) stop the suffering of the peaceful population and the growing humanitarian crisis,” Putin said.

Russia and Turkey back opposing sides in Syria’s nine-year conflict, with Moscow supporting President Bashar al-Assad and Turkey backing some rebel groups. Several previous deals to end the fighting in Idlib have collapsed. The latest offensive in Idlib by Assad’s forces, backed by Russian air strikes, sparked what the United Nations says may be the worst humanitarian crisis yet in a war that has driven millions from their homes and killed hundreds of thousands.

The Russian military has, however, repeatedly played down any talk of a refugee crisis and accused Turkey of violating international law by pouring enough troops into Idlib to make up a mechanized division. Turkey, which has the second largest army in the transatlantic NATO alliance, has funneled troops and equipment into the region in recent weeks to resist the Syrian government advance and prevent a wave of refugees over its southern border. Russia also raced to reinforce its troops in Syria by sea and air before the Putin-Erdogan talks.

Assad himself has vowed to recapture “every inch” of Syrian territory, but his depleted military depends heavily on Moscow’s power and Iranian-backed militias on the ground. Iran was not a party to Thursday’s deal. Apart from Idlib, a large stretch of northern Syria remains outside Assad’s control, held by Turkey and its rebel partners, and by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces.

The Kremlin said the two leaders had spoken for three hours on their own before being joined by their officials. They agreed to establish a secure corridor near the M4 highway, which runs east to west through Idlib, and hold joint patrols along the road. In a joint statement, they said the corridor would stretch 6 km to the north and 6 km to the south of the M4 - effectively advancing Russia’s presence further north into Idlib.

The deal did not spell out - as Erdogan has repeatedly demanded - that Syrian forces withdraw to the edge of the Idlib “de-escalation zone”, around which Turkey has stationed a dozen military observation posts, most of them now surrounded by Russian-backed Syrian government forces. The fighting, which raised the prospect of a direct clash between Russia and Turkey, has killed around 60 Turkish troops in the region since last month. Two hours after the joint announcement Turkey’s defense ministry said two soldiers were killed after Syrian government forces opened fire in Idlib.

Ahead of the talks, at least 16 civilians were killed when Russian air strikes hit a gathering of displaced people near the town of Maarat Misrin in Idlib, according to civil defense workers helping clear the rubble and search for survivors. Russia denies targeting civilians. Turkey hosts some 3.6 million Syrian refugees and says it cannot handle more. Seeking to extract more funding and support from Europe over Idlib, Ankara said last week it would no longer abide by a 2016 deal in which it stopped migrants crossing into the European Union in return for billions of euros in aid. While this is certainly good news, the tension is still very tense and could escalate quickly.

Pray- Pray that the ceasefire would hold and that the refugees in the area would be safe.

Two Sobering Anniversaries

47th March for Life

Friday, January 24 marked the 47th March for Life held in Washington, D.C. This march has been held every year since 1974, one year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling led to legalized abortion nationwide.

President Trump became the first sitting president to speak in-person at this largest pro-life human rights demonstration in the world. He told the crowd that “every child is a precious and sacred gift from God.”

“Together we must protect, cherish, and defend the dignity and the sanctity of every human life,” he continued. “When we see the image of a baby in the womb, we glimpse the majesty of God’s creation. When we hold a newborn in our arms, we know the endless love that each child brings to a family.”

The Christian Post noted that more and more young people are joining the March for Life. The 2020 march was attended by “countless high school and college students.”  Students from Oakcrest School in Vienna, Virginia lead the march, holding the official March for Life banner.

Catalina Scheider Galinanes, the 16-year-old president of Oakcrest’s Respect Life Club, spoke at the rally. She said this was her seventh March for Life, “From the moment I realized that the abortion industry was ending the lives of millions of babies and lying to women everywhere, I knew God was calling me and each of us to act to defend human dignity and protect the lives of generations to come. That is what we are doing here today.”

In 2019, we witnessed New York, Illinois and Vermont expand abortion up to birth. The State of Virginia’s General Assembly, currently in session, is seeking to loosen existing regulations on abortion, one of which would also legalize abortion up to birth.

Praise God that 10 states with majority pro-life legislatures and governors passed laws requiring clinics to meet health and safety standards and placed limits on abortion. Pray that other states would follow their lead. And pray for God to raise a pro-life generation who will ultimately change the culture in those states which have removed regulations!

What can we do today? We can support mothers and fathers. We can speak for the unborn through our votes, in our churches, in our communities and with our families. Together, we can end abortion and create a culture of life!

Remembering the Holocaust

Last week, more than 200 Holocaust survivors and their families gathered at Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp 75 years after it was liberated on January 27, 1945. This event commemorated the more than one million people murdered at Auschwitz, the vast majority of whom were Jewish.

NBC News reports that many of the survivors described their experiences. “My number was 45,554,” said Bat-Sheva Dagan, who is originally from Lodz, Poland. “They tattooed my number on me and it’s just as visible today as it was back then. It was tattooed very well,” the 94-year-old added.

“I would love Hitler should be alive to see what I accomplished—that I’m alive,” said survivor David Marks, who now lives in Sherman, Connecticut.

On January 23, more than 40 dignitaries attended the World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem marking it as one of the largest political gatherings in Israeli history. World leaders in attendance included Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain’s Prince Charles, Vice President Mike Pence and the presidents of Germany, Italy and Austria. The event was highlighted by a three-hour-long ceremony called “Remembering the Holocaust: Fighting Antisemitism” at Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.

Tel Aviv University researchers noted a significant rise in anti-Semitic violence in 2018. They recorded 400 cases of violent attacks against Jews, with the largest reported number of Jews killed in anti-Semitic acts in decades. The spike in violence was most dramatic in western Europe. For instance, in Germany there was a 70% increase. In addition to shooting attacks, assaults and vandalism, the research also noted increased anti-Semitic vitriol online and in newspapers, as extremist political parties grew in power in several countries.

Middle East Peace Plan

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released this week a plan for peace in the Middle East. Arab Ambassadors from Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates attended the announcement and expressed a desire to work towards peace.

In spite of growing support of the Peace Plan by multiple Arab nations, Palestinians have soundly rejected it and instead have called for a “Day of Rage” to attack the Jewish people and Americans in protest.

We must continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. And, we must stand against anti-Semitism and pray for the protection of Jewish people worldwide.