The Ulster Unionist Party Leader Steve Aiken OBE MLA said:
“Today’s Assembly motion included a call for the Assembly to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, which formed the basis of a motion which the Ulster Unionist Party had also submitted.
“If anyone needed proof that antisemitism still exists, they only have to look at the recent disgraceful attack on the Jewish graveyard at Belfast City Cemetery. This is just one of many examples of hate crimes perpetrated against our friends across this long established and proud community. A community that has made a huge contribution to life in Northern Ireland, culturally, societally, in business and adding significantly to our diversity. The Jewish community here also has a strong connection to Israel and its proud history, with Chaim Herzog, the 6th President of Israel, born in Belfast in 1918.
“That such a historic figure came from Belfast should be a point of pride, for all of us, however, the mere fact that a commemorative plaque cannot be erected in the vicinity of his birth place without it being attacked, or that the Synagogue for our small Jewish community has been daubed with hate driven and racist symbols, and that the language of anti-Semitism seems to be pervasive amongst some, shows that there is a real need to recognise that action must be taken.
“To counter anti-Jewish rhetoric and holocaust denial, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance called for international and domestic institutions to adopt a set of principles. These principles call on us to adopt the view that:
“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.”
“These principles have been adopted by our own nation, and by 29 other nations, including the United States, France and most tellingly, Germany. It should also be noted that it has been signed by the Scottish Government and the Welsh Executive, but not the Government of the Republic of Ireland.
“We as an Assembly can, as well as recognising that the attacks on our Jewish community - as well as all our other minority communities - are hate crimes; and as such these must all be dealt with forcefully and with the full weight of the law. However, we must also recognise that there is something particularly invidious about antisemitism that calls for wider action, and that is why we must demonstrate that we, as an elected body, will not tolerate this blight on our society, and show solidarity with our, and the wider, Jewish Community by adopting the above IHRA definition, showing in the strongest terms our commitment to stamp out the racist scourge of antisemitism.”