Kosovo’s parliament has endorsed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, making it one of the few Muslim-majority countries to adopt the definition.
The decision was announced on Twitter by the country’s Charge d’affairs to Israel, Ines Demiri.
The Assembly of the Republic of #Kosova today unanimously voted and adopted the International #Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (#IHRA) working definition of #antisemitism. @MFAKOSOVO @IsraelMFA
— Ines Demiri (@InesDemiri1) June 8, 2023
Israel’s ambassador to Kosovo Tammy Ziv thanked the parliament for the decision. “I want to thank the 79 MPs of all ruling and opposition parties in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosova [sic] who today unanimously voted and adopted the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism. We remain committed to bringing our two countries and people closer,” Ziv responded to Demiri’s Twitter statement.
Israel’s relations with Kosovo have been growing for some years now. Israel and Kosovo cemented their relations with a series of bilateral agreements in May 2022. when then Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met with his Kosovar counterpart, Donica Gervalla-Schwarz, who visited Jerusalem for the first time.
Israel-Kosovo relations are prospering
They discussed bilateral ties, aid and the war in Ukraine and signed agreements in the areas of culture, education, science and film co-production. The Kosovar foreign minister also signed a Holocaust education agreement with Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan.
People are pictured through Kosovo flag as they take part in celebrations of the 10th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence in Pristina, Kosovo February 17, 2018 (credit: OGNEN TEOFILOVSKI/REUTERS)Gërvalla-Schwarz was the highest-level official to visit Israel from Pristina since Kosovo opened its embassy in Jerusalem in March 2021, making it the first Muslim-majority state to do so.
As of the end of December 2022, a total of 1,116 global entities have adopted and endorsed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism. In the United States, during 2022, 18 states adopted it via legislation or executive actions, bringing the total number of adopting states to 30. US cities such as Los Angeles, Washington, El Paso and Wichita, Kansas, have also all adopted the IHRA definition.
Since the Working Definition of Antisemitism was adopted by the alliance in 2016, it has become the most widely-recognized barometer in the collective effort against Jew-hatred, serving as an essential tool to identify and delineate all contemporary manifestations of this age-old bigotry.
Zvika Klein and Lahav Harkov contributed to this story.
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