57 powerful US congressmen appealed to the US State Department Wednesday, with a letter expressing concern about the growing anti-Semitism – the distortion of the Holocaust in Europe, especially in Poland and Ukraine. The appeal was published on the website of the member of the House of Representatives, Ro Khanna.
The US State Department was asked to urge the governments of Poland and Ukraine to stop distorting data on the Holocaust, honor Nazi collaborators, and to investigate anti-Semitic crimes instead.
The authors of the letter expressed confidence that the United States must insistently demand the repeal of the relevant laws – on national memory in Poland, and on recognizing the armies of OUN-UPA, UNR and ZUNR as fighters for independence in Ukraine.
“This year, Warsaw adopted a law that makes it a criminal offense to mention that Poland participated in the Holocaust.” The law, which was correctly criticized by the State Department of the Israeli government and others, was accompanied by a surge of anti-Semitic rhetoric,” the statement said.
Senators emphasize that the adoption of the law on the heroization of the OUN-UPA in Ukraine has not caused a resonance in the world, including in the US.
It is noted that members of the US Congress support Poland and Ukraine in building democratic states, but “the growth of anti-Semitism and denial of the past will stall democratic reforms in these countries and prevent Poland and Ukraine from becoming free and open societies for all their citizens, Jews and non-Jews”.
The US State Department was called to describe the actions that the agency is taking in working with Poland, Ukraine and other countries in the region to combat the growth of anti-Semitism, denial and distortion of the Holocaust.
In addition, the congressmen are asking to appoint a special envoy for monitoring and countering anti-Semitism, as well as to provide his office with everything necessary for work.