Simon Wiesenthal Center

As the world comes together in celebration of the World Cup, our Centro Simon Wiesenthal Latinoamérica Advocacy team's new op-ed for JNS challenges FIFA World Cup, national federations, and clubs to take responsibility for discrimination on the field, rather than treating it as just a public relations problem.

Read the full op-ed on discrimination in soccer today, from Iranian players to political intimidation across the sport: wiesenthal.org/news/soccers-responsibility-in-the-fight-against-discrimination

Today is the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, and for the Jewish people, this day marks a tragic and painful history. From ancient Egypt to the Holocaust to the tunnels beneath Gaza, Jews have experienced torture as one of history's most enduring cruelties, a reality shared by countless others around the world.

The Holocaust was one of the darkest chapters in history. Jews were starved, enslaved, beaten, and subjected to brutal medical experiments, all designed to strip people of their humanity even before their eventual murder.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas proved that the machinery of antisemitic violence was not a relic of the past. The hostages taken by Hamas included men, women, the elderly, and children. They were also starved, subjected to sexual violence, and forced to experience conditions no human being should endure.

Simon Wiesenthal survived this kind of torture, but he did not let it silence him. He spent the rest of his life ensuring that those who inflicted such suffering would face justice. That mission is the foundation of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Today, and every day, we stand with the victims of torture, past and present, and we do not stop seeking justice on their behalf.