US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a visit at the Holocaust Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe as a part of Holocaust Dialogue signing event in Berlin, Germany, June 24, 2021. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi/File Photo

i24 News – Two of the world’s closest allies, Germany and the United States, launched a new initiative Thursday aimed at stemming an alarming recent rise — particularly online — of antisemitism and Holocaust denial.

The two governments announced the start of a US-Germany Holocaust Dialogue that seeks to reverse the trend that gained traction during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the fallout from last month’s 11-day conflagration between the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and Israel.

The dialogue creates a way to develop educational and messaging tools to teach youth and others about the crimes of the Nazis and their collaborators, according to the Associated Press.

During his trip to Germany, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and a number of Holocaust survivors who were present for the launch at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin.

“Holocaust denial and other forms of antisemitism often go hand in hand with homophobia, xenophobia, racism, other hatred,” said Blinken, who is the stepson of a Holocaust survivor. “It’s also a rallying cry for those who seek to tear down our democracies, which we’ve seen in both our countries, [and] often a precursor to violence.”

Maas echoed Blinken’s sentiments and referenced the “torrent of antisemitic conspiracy theories on the Internet and attacks on synagogues.”