New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday drew parallels between the horrors of the Holocaust and contemporary acts of terrorism, emphasising India’s empathy with nations facing such threats.
The foreign secretary recalled how the Holocaust began not with mass killings but with words of hatred, dehumanisation and exclusion.
“The Holocaust did not begin with the extinguishing of life. It began with words, words of hatred, words of dehumanisation, words of exclusion. It began when prejudice was normalised, when discrimination was institutionalised and when silence replaced conscience,” he said while delivering a speech at a Holocaust memorial event organised by the embassy of Israel.
Misri highlighted the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, in which around 1,200 Israeli nationals were killed and hundreds abducted as hostages. He noted that, as Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar observed, more Jews were killed on that single day than on any other since the Holocaust.
“India is, unfortunately, all too familiar with such mindless brutality. Having been a victim of cross-border terrorism ourselves, we empathise immediately with those who undergo the same tragedy,” Misri said, in an apparent reference to India’s own experiences with Pakistan-sponsored attacks.
The foreign secretary stressed that terrorism must be condemned in all its forms and manifestations, with no justification “whatsoever and wherever.” Misri also welcomed the Gaza Peace Plan as a viable pathway to long-term and sustainable peace in the region.
“We have welcomed this, and we are happy to see the progress made recently under this plan…We earnestly hope that these efforts will evolve into concrete and lasting actions, paving the way for a peaceful and durable resolution to conflicts in the region,” he said.
He underlined the deep-rooted historical ties between India and Israel, which have evolved into a robust strategic partnership. “As proud partners in progress, we are building bridges in multiple areas and using our shared democratic values,” he said.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed annually on January 27 to commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp by Soviet forces in 1945 and honour the six million Jews and millions of others murdered by the Nazi regime during the Second World War. PTI RK AMJ AMJ
Category: Breaking News
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