Vice President Mike Pence declared that anti-Semitism must be dealt with on a global level and urged leaders to stand against Iran.
Speaking in Jerusalem at the World Holocaust Remembrance Center to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Thursday, Pence said the stories and legacy of those killed in the Holocaust must not be forgotten.
“We gather to fulfill the solemn obligation, an obligation of remembrance, to never allow the memory of those who died in the Holocaust to be forgotten by anyone anywhere in the world,” he said. “Today, we remember what happens when the powerless cry for help and the powerful refuse to answer.”
The vice president went on to pay homage to the survivors of the Holocaust “who all these years have borne witness to that evil and have served mankind by their example.” He also drew upon the legacy of those who fought against Nazism and anti-Semitism during World War II.
“We must be prepared to stand as they did against the wave of their times. We must be prepared to confront and expose the vile tide of anti-Semitism that is fueling hate and violence across the world, and we must stand together,” he said.
Leaders of more than 40 nations were present for the speech, and Pence used the opportunity to admonish the Iranian regime and “the leading state purveyor of anti-Semitism.”
“The world must stand strong against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said to applause from the audience.
[Opinion: Latest anti-Semitic attacks make it clear: Hatred of Jews doesn’t just come from white supremacists]
