Portugal Becomes 34th Member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance

Portugal became a full member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) on Dec. 4, the 34th nation to do so.

The IHRA tweeted out the announcement:

Congratulations to Portugal, which has now become a full member of the IHRA! #IHRAinLuxembourg pic.twitter.com/pt4vu3ejA4

— IHRA (@TheIHRA) December 4, 2019

The organization was formed in 1998 to promote awareness and education about the Holocaust. The IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, which is the definition the State Department uses, states that illegitimate criticism of Israel is anti-Semitism, including double standards and comparing the Israeli government to the Nazis.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, “Preserving memory of the Holocaust and the fight against anti-Semitism are connected to each other. The past must be recognized and remembered in order to guarantee the future.”

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt also praised the move.

“Congratulations to Portugal for becoming a full member of @TheIHRA,” he tweeted. “As the number of survivors dwindles, it’s especially vital that nations worldwide commit to keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive.”

Congratulations to Portugal for becoming a full member of @TheIHRA. As the number of survivors dwindles, it’s especially vital that nations worldwide commit to keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive. https://t.co/MbIYRd4Ozp

— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) December 4, 2019

The American Jewish Committee similarly tweeted, “We welcome Portugal’s decision to join the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. This is an important step in the effort to combat rising anti-Semitism.”

We welcome Portugal's 🇵🇹 decision to join the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. This is an important step in the effort to combat rising antisemitism.
Thank you @nestrangeiro_pt for taking action!https://t.co/VZiofrKmxN

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) December 4, 2019

On Dec. 3, the France National Assembly – the lower house of the French parliament – voted to adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism with 154 in favor and 72 against.