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In the resolution proposed by the United States and co-sponsored by more than 100 countries, the 192-member Assembly General said it "urges all member states unreservedly to reject any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, or any activities to this end."
The resolution, adopted by consensus, does not name any country but points to "efforts to deny the Holocaust, which by ignoring the historical fact of these terrible events increase the risk they will be repeated."
Diplomats said the resolution was inspired by Iran, where President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other leaders have repeatedly denied that the Nazis' systematic genocidal mass murder of six million Jews during World War II took place, calling it a "myth."
Iran drew international condemnation for holding the two-day conference in December to examine questions posed by Ahmadinejad over the Holocaust.
US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns described the resolution to reporters Friday as "an effective repudiation of President Ahmadinejad's baseless and gross mischaracterization" of the Holocaust.
Burns noted that Iran was the only country that disassociated itself from the resolution.
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev told AFP: "Israel is very pleased by the adoption of this resolution."
He said the resolution showed that "a government which offers a platform and its patronage to those who deny the Shoah (Holocaust) is rejected by the international community."
Israel's permanent UN representative Dan Gillerman lashed out at Tehran's stance during the assembly session Friday.
"While the nations of the world gather here to affirm the historicity of the Holocaust with the intent of never again allowing genocide, a member of this assembly is acquiring the capabilities to carry out its own. The President of Iran is in fact saying: 'There really was no Holocaust, but just in case, we shall finish the job.'"
Hossein Gharabi, second secretary of Iran's UN mission, countered: "We, like many countries, have condemned genocide against any race, ethnic or religious group as a crime against humanity. We reiterate this unambiguous position today.
"In our view, there is no justification for genocide of any kind, nor can there be any justification for the attempts made by some, particularly by the Israeli regime, to exploit the past crimes as a pretext to commit new genocides and crimes."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, his spokesperson said Friday, "reiterates his conviction that the denial of historical facts such as the Holocaust is unacceptable."
Just before taking office on January 1, Ban warned the Iranian leadership that denial of the Holocaust and calls to eliminate any state were "not acceptable," a reference to Ahmadinejad's remarks that Israel should be "wiped off" the map.
But on Tuesday Ahmadinejad again described the Holocaust as a "fabrication" and repeated his prediction that Israel would "fall to pieces."
UN General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, unlike those of the 15-member UN Security Council, but they carry considerable moral and symbolic significance.
In November 2005 the United Nations proclaimed January 27 as the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust to commemorate Jewish and other victims of the German Nazi regime during World War II.
I don't know if it means anything coming from the UN though.