Satisfaction in Jerusalem with the Croatian government's decision this weekend to adopt the definitions of anti-Semitism, denial and distortion of the Holocaust by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) - an international forum in which 36 countries are currently members.
Croatia joined the IHRA back in 2005 and starting this March will serve as acting president of the organization for a year.
The IHRA definition of anti-Semitism was adopted in 2016 and since then 39 countries have adopted it and over a thousand organizations and institutions around the world, including football teams, universities, local authorities and more.
In recent years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been promoting the adoption of the definition of anti-Semitism among organizations, institutions and countries, with the aim of creating a common language and strengthening the joint international effort to deal with the phenomenon of anti-Semitism.
Let the narrative be written
In recent years, the Croatian government has been dealing with attempts by political and social elements in the country to rewrite the narrative of the Holocaust during World War II and glorify the image of the leaders of the fascist regime and justify the use of its symbols.
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen: "Congratulates Croatia on adopting the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism and its commitment to fighting the despicable phenomenon of anti-Semitism that rears its head. Adopting the definitions of anti-Semitism, denying and distorting the Holocaust is an unequivocal message against the discourse of hate."
Last week, Foreign Minister Cohen met with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plankovic, at the World Economic Forum meeting and discussed with him the relations between the countries and Croatia's leading role in the fight against anti-Semitism as the president of the IHRA organization in the second half of 2023.
Background
During the Second World War, the infamous Jasenovac concentration camp operated on the territory of Croatia where tens of thousands of Serbs, Roma and Jews perished at the hands of the local collaborators of the Ustasha regime.
About 80% of Croatian Jews perished in the Holocaust.
Croatia recently started working to restore works of art that belonged to the heirs of the Jewish owners and to rename streets that were named in the 1990s after statesmen of the Ustasha regime.
"A message against hate speech".
Eli Cohen, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The preparations for the IHRA presidency and the national activity plan are coordinated by the advisor to the Croatian Prime Minister, Sarah Lustig, daughter of the producer of the film "Schindler's List", the late Branko Lustig, born in Croatia.
Israel-Croatia relations have greatly improved in recent years, this is also reflected in Foreign Minister Eli Cohen's telephone conversation with his Croatian counterpart Gerlich-Redman and in the meeting last week in Davos with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plankovic. One of the main topics that came up in the talks was the importance of adopting the definitions of IHRA.
In Jerusalem, there is great satisfaction that Croatia is joining the Israel friendship camp in the AA. Therefore, it is only natural that the latest Croatian step to adopt the IHRA definitions, which is related to a deeper layer of relations, is also received with great satisfaction in Jerusalem.
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