Yad Vashem calls for ‘immediate action’ on North Korea
Yad Vashem has called for “immediate action” after a landmark UN report on North Korea this week documented ongoing “crimes against humanity” that its authors say are reminiscent of those committed by the Nazis.
Australian High Court Justice Michael Kirby spent a year gathering harrowing testimony from women forced to drown their babies and crematorium workers told to burn the bodies of those who died through starvation.
Kirby said there were “many parallels” between the evidence he had heard and crimes committed by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
The report describes the widespread use of torture, government-run terror and the abuse of men, women and children, including systematically starving people to death.
The gravity prompted an immediate statement from Jerusalem’s world centre for Holocaust research.
“Far too often, the international community expresses regret after the fact for not stopping such crimes as they occur. Today, it cannot be said that the world does not have the testimonies, the information and the understanding in real time that must bring about immediate action,” it said.
At a press conference to launch the report, Kirby said: “When you see that image in your mind of bodies being burned it does bring back memories of the end of world war two, and the horror and the shame and the shock.”
He added: “I never thought that in my lifetime it would be part of my duty to bring revelations of a similar kind.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
