UK expresses deep concern about rising antisemitism across the
OSCE region and calls for concrete steps to realise commitments
and protect Jewish communities.
Sally Sealey, Chief of Staff, UK's Post Holocaust Issues Envoy.
"Thank you, Mr Chair. Allow me also to thank the Swiss
Chairpersonship for organising this important conference, and to
the canton of St. Gallen for their warm hospitality.
Mr Chair, the United Kingdom is deeply concerned by the continued
rise in antisemitism across the OSCE region. As this discussion
has highlighted, recent years have been profoundly difficult for
Jewish communities, in the United Kingdom and beyond.
In the UK, the attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester
on Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar,
was a stark reminder that these threats are real, immediate, and
deeply felt. The shocking assault on a Chanukah celebration in
Sydney further demonstrates that antisemitic hatred is not
confined by borders; it is a challenge that confronts us all.
The United Kingdom is proud of its identity as a diverse,
multifaith, and multiethnic democracy. Precisely because of this,
we view antisemitism not only as an attack on Jewish communities,
but as an attack on the principles that underpin stable and
inclusive societies. Antisemitism is never a problem for others
to resolve. It is a collective security issue, one that threatens
cohesion and undermines trust in our shared institutions.
While physical security measures remain necessary, they cannot
alone provide lasting safety. Fences and guards may deter, but
they cannot replace understanding, empathy, or community
confidence. True resilience requires addressing the roots of
antisemitism and strengthening the social fabric in which all
communities feel valued and protected.
For this reason, the United Kingdom continues to champion the
Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism and the IHRA
Working Definition of Antisemitism. We encourage all
participating States to adopt and operationalise these tools.
During our recent IHRA Presidency, we worked with partners to
protect the historical record, reinforce Holocaust education, and
address emerging challenges, including those arising from
artificial intelligence and digital manipulation. This work
remains essential.
Antisemitic content is widespread online. From overt hate speech
and coordinated harassment campaigns, to coded language and
conspiracy theories, online antisemitism is rapidly spread and
amplified and has real world consequences. The UK's Online
Safety Act places strong duties on social media platforms to
protect all users from illegal content, including illegal hate
speech and abuse.
We also acknowledge the OSCE's, and in particular ODIHR's,
essential contribution to supporting participating States in
building societies grounded in tolerance and non‑discrimination.
Mr Chair, the United Kingdom reaffirms its commitment to
confronting antisemitism in all its forms. But the duty is
on all of us to turn these commitments and words into action. Our
credibility depends not on the strength of our declarations, but
on the concrete steps we take to ensure they are realised
We stand with Jewish communities across our region and beyond,
and we will continue to work with OSCE partners to ensure that
hatred has no place in our societies.
Thank you."
