The New Zealand Jewish Council and the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand are welcoming the government's decision to join the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
New Zealand will have observer status within the alliance. Photo: 123rf
New Zealand has joined the alliance - which works to unite governments, promote Holocaust education, and to uphold the 2000 Stockholm Declaration - as an observer.
Deborah Hart Photo:
Holocaust Centre chair Deborah Hart said the centre had been asking the government to do more to combat anti-semitism for some time.
She said racism had been growing in New Zealand and internationally, driven by pandemic-related fear.
"There's been dangerous anti-Jewish international conspiracies adopted in New Zealand by extreme elements," she told RNZ.
"We're just seeing a rise in anti-Semitism and we need to do everything we can to combat that."
Hart said learning about the Holocaust taught young people to treat others with humanity.
"We have taken the first step of becoming an observer and I think that that is a really good thing. The government is to be absolutely commended for taking this step."
However, a press release issued by the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa says by joining the IHRA, New Zealand is undermining the fight against anti-Semitism and racism of all kinds. Instead, "Aotearoa New Zealand should adopt the Jerusalem Declaration on anti-Semitism and insist on Holocaust education in every school in the country as part of a comprehensive anti-racism education programme," the press release says.
New Zealand joins 44 other countries already in the alliance, including most of Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The New Zealand Jewish Council also hoped New Zealand's decision to join the alliance would lead to a more consistent approach to tackling racism.
Council president Stephen Goodman said the Jewish community was welcoming the move, and he hoped it would improve the way New Zealand protected minority communities from racism.
"Racism is dealt with in an inconsistent manner; and definitely not consistently by police, government and all agencies," he said.
"We've gotta have everyone standing up and saying 'this is not acceptable in my New Zealand'."
Goodman said joining the group gave the government a tool to combat the rise in anti-Jewish sentiment.
He said the fact New Zealand had joined as an observer member meant it had fewer obligations.
Australia was the most recent country to become a full member of the alliance, and Goodman said he would like New Zealand to take the same step.
This article has been updated to include information from the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.