The Honorable José Montilla i Aguilera
President
Generalitat of Catalonia
Plaça de Sant Jaume, 4
08002 Barcelona
Spain

Dear Mr. President:

On behalf of B’nai B’rith International’s more than 200,000 members in over 50 countries around the world, we write to express our profound disappointment with the decision of the Catalan government to cancel a commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We are particularly anguished by the remarks of Minister of Home Affairs Joan Saura i Laporta, who inexcusably said, “It is inappropriate to commemorate the Jewish holocaust when a Palestinian holocaust is being committed.”

Minister Saura’s statement is simply deplorable. Comparing Israel’s defensive actions in Gaza to Nazi genocide reflects extreme ignorance and far exceeds the boundaries of legitimate policy criticism. We feel that Minister Saura’s absurd analogy is an affront to Holocaust victims and a dangerous slander against the State of Israel, whose civilians have suffered years of deadly attacks by Hamas terrorists.

By trivializing history’s greatest human rights tragedy, Minister Saura’s alarming misuse of the Holocaust analogy underscores the crucial importance of expanding Holocaust education and commemoration. We therefore urge that the Minister’s decision to cancel the January 27 commemoration be reversed and that the government of Catalonia affirm the importance of preserving Holocaust memory and combating anti-Semitism in our time.

Thank you for your cooperation and consideration. We look forward to remaining in communication with you on this critical matter of mutual concern.

Respectfully,

Moishe Smith	Daniel S. Mariaschin
President	Executive Vice President