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A dark sense of Holocaust, both past and possible By Tamar Rotem In line for the security check to get into the opening ceremony at Yad Vashem, it struck me. Around me were dozens of military and security officials of one sort or another, all of them casting steely glares as befits army types, some of them donning black jackets, others in uniform of various shades of khaki. This is the sixth time they have checked us, all of those invited to the ceremony. We are prevented from entering, they pass explosive-detecting devices over our bodies, eventually letting the lucky soul at the head of the line advance to the next checkpoint. Again and again we show our documents. Advertisement Finally, we are allowed in, and the real ceremony begins. The current Holocaust Remembrance Day is dedicated to children - the million and a half murdered in the Holocaust and to those who were saved. President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mention the children in their speeches, but choose to focus on "weightier" issues like anti-Semitism, relevant as ever in light of yesterday's Durban II Conference in Geneva. Anti-Semitism is, in the president's words, "A disease that isn't Jewish. To heal it we must deal with those from which it comes." "Nazism was defeated, but anti-Semitism still lives and breathes. The gas has dissipated, but the poison remains. There are still those Holocaust deniers, skinheads and hotheads carrying deep hatred and aiming to kill in the name of racial superiority," he says. Yesterday's Durban Conference in Geneva, Peres says, represents "accepting racism, not fighting it." Netanyahu says that "the unfortunate fact is that while we are marking Holocaust Remembrance Day here at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, there are those who chose to participate in a show of hate for Israel." The prime minister praises those countries that boycotted the event and singles out Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz for condemnation for having met with Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: "How can an enlightened president meet with someone who denies the Holocaust and calls for another one?" he asks. "We will not let a Holocaust denier commit another Holocaust on the Jewish People. That is the State of Israel's utmost obligation, and that is my responsibility as prime minister." Toward the end of the ceremony, uniformed police officers let us, a group of media representatives, leave Yad Vashem. They cordon off a "sterile" area through which the president and prime minister can leave. We beg also to be let out, and a soft-hearted officer show us a dark side exit to make our escape. It is hard to believe that Yad Vashem put together this simulation willingly. On the dark road leading from the museum my thoughts turn to Leah Weisner, today Leah Paz, a survivor who lit one of the torches yesterday, who as a girl of 12 was pushed from a train to Belzec death camp, and I feel her fear. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Never again Netanyahu: We won't let Holocaust deniers repeat genocide against Jews Mass walk-out WATCH: Durban II delegates storm out en masse in protest of Ahmadinejad speech

Read & React Bradley Burston: Obama, Netanyahu, and Zionists Against Occupation Responses: 47 Israel recalls Swiss envoy to protest Durban II Responses: 105 Gideon Levy: The Holocaust and Israeli occupation cannot be compared Responses: 62 Durban delegates storm out in protest of Ahmadinejad speech Responses: 108 More Headlines 00:01 Netanyahu: We won't let Holocaust deniers repeat genocide against Jews 00:41 Ahmadinejad at Durban II: Holocaust was pretext for Israel's creation 21:59 WATCH: Durban delegates storm out in protest of Ahmadinejad speech 00:43 Norway's foreign minister draws fire for following Ahmadinejad at Durban II 00:42 Israel recalls Swiss envoy over Ahmadinejad presence at summit 15:06 Durban II / Israel's boycott gives its critics the upper hand 00:22 Durban II / A self-righteous anti-Zionist jamboree 18:03 IN PICTURES / The Durban II anti-racism conference 22:31 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 17:56 MI Chief: Obama Mideast policy threatens Israel 21:19 Influential Lebanese Shi`ite cleric calls for Muslim-Jewish dialogue 17:10 'Sharp decline in anti-Semitic incidents in months after Gaza op' 20:14 Germany to excavate suspected Holocaust-era Jewish mass grave 23:02 Ex-employee of Biological Institute suspected of revealing state secrets 23:56 Jewish leader: Walkout by EU delegates at Durban II a victory for Europe 00:39 Holocaust Remembrance / From Lithuanian ghetto to leading Israeli jurist Previous Editions Select Day 20 apr 19 apr 17 apr 16 apr 15 apr 14 apr 13 apr 12 apr 10 apr 09 apr 08 apr 07 apr

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