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Last update - 13:12 10/09/2007
Citing Holocaust, Shas ministers to boycott German-made cars
By Haaretz Service

Shas Minister Itzhak Cohen said Monday that his party's ministers would be boycotting new German-made cars offered to members of the cabinet.

The government recently announced that its ministers would part with their Swedish Volvos after German car makers Skoda and Audi won the tender to provide the officials with new cars.

In response, Cohen is calling on all government ministers to refuse to drive German cars out of respect for the Holocaust and in light of what he said was a new wave of people who deny the Holocaust took place.
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After World War II ended in 1945 and the State of Israel was founded in 1948, it was common for Israelis to boycott German goods. However, as time as passed since the Holocaust and ties between the two countries developed, the phenomenon has faded.

Cohen repeatedly insisted during an Israel Radio interview that the move is "very emotional and very symbolic," and not a denunciation of all German-made products. He emphasized that Shas had no interest in the private matters of ministers, but rather sought to make a public statement with the boycott.

"On private matters, we don't get involved. Everyone in their home can do what they want."

"Especially today, as Holocaust deniers are multiplying, we're the ones who need to commemorate the Holocaust. And if, by this act, we bring about public discourse on the issue, then we reached our goal," he continued.

In the interview with Israel Radio, Cohen recalled public figures who adopted the policy against German goods, including "important men like Rabbi [Yisrael] Lau who never spent a night on German soil, or [former MK] Shevah Weiss didn't receive German representatives.
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  1.   Shas out of touch with reality as usual 13:27  |  SJ 10/09/07
  2.   Volvos are made from the same iron ore exported to Nazi Germany 13:54  |  smgorun 10/09/07
  3.   publicity drive 13:54  |  realism 10/09/07
  4.   Old story.This happen first 1933 13:57  |  Dav 10/09/07
  5.   Reply to SJ (Post No. 1) 13:58  |  Johnny Weintraub 10/09/07
  6.   Skoda is Czech and Volvo is nowadays American GM 13:59  |  Alice of Wonderland 10/09/07
  7.   What`s next? 14:01  |  Curious 10/09/07
  8.   Mercedes Benz 14:11  |  CP 10/09/07
  9.   Haaretz out of touch with reality 14:11  |  Jonathan S 10/09/07
  10.   #6 wrong 14:17  |  Dav 10/09/07
  11.   Shas is right 14:18  |  Jim 10/09/07
  12.   Today`s Nazis 14:19  |  Right Wing Extremest 10/09/07
  13.   Shas`s clever bid to attract new European members 14:20  |  Scientist 10/09/07
  14.   #10 Dav: I hold onto the FACTs, you may keep your head! 14:28  |  Alice of Wonderland 10/09/07
  15.   ignorance 14:29  |  ron 10/09/07
  16.   # SJ 14:36  |  wh 10/09/07
  17.   Under "Third Reich Agreement" german cars and goods 14:40  |  nobodsacred 10/09/07
  18.   How about 14:41  |  Axel 10/09/07
  19.   # 14 alice 14:50  |  Axel 10/09/07
  20.   What about German aid Itzhak 14:59  |  Saul 10/09/07
  21.   Much ado about nothing 15:00  |  Jonathan S 10/09/07
  22.   Ovadiahs BMW 15:01  |  Jake 10/09/07
  23.   Has been, corrupt party begging for attention 15:09  |  Alex 10/09/07
  24.   Shas and their ilk have no Holocaust link 15:29  |  Donna S 10/09/07
  25.   Rabbi Ovadia`s BMW 15:30  |  Emes 10/09/07
  26.   Axel and Dav let me enlighten you 15:32  |  Alice of Wonderland 10/09/07
  27.   German car manufacturers and slave labour 15:33  |  Jonathan S 10/09/07
  28.   boycott 15:33  |  Saba 10/09/07
  29.   A few facts: To Wonderland and Dov 15:34  |  Job 10/09/07
  30.   #6/#14--Alice, you`re also wrong... 15:38  |  Chris 10/09/07
  31.   Boycott Ferrari + Fiat + Lancia 15:48  |  Bernd 10/09/07
  32.   #15 Ron; are you talking about yourself? 15:49  |  a Scandinavian Jew 10/09/07
  33.   NOBODYSACRED.Why are Jews in Germany?because Germany has changed 15:58  |  PETER SM 10/09/07
  34.   Ovadia Yosef`s BMW 15:59  |  TK 10/09/07
  35.   #1 and #16 completely wrong! 16:03  |  Isac 10/09/07
  36.   SHAS. Why not walk! 16:05  |  PETER S.M. 10/09/07
  37.   Sj,your Great Guru,corrupt wretch Rabin bought acceptance of Oslo 16:08  |  Absolute Sweden 10/09/07
  38.   #14 Alice I think you should apologise 16:20  |  Mahona 10/09/07
  39.   AXEL How about having a really good hate Israel post. 16:21  |  PETER S.M. 10/09/07
  40.   Scrap the German submarines.... 16:27  |  Anton 10/09/07
  41.   german made car boycot 16:29  |  Robert Weir 10/09/07
  42.   Making distinctions is ridiculous 16:29  |  Mahona 10/09/07
  43.   How Pathetic 16:35  |  dan 10/09/07
  44.   To Shas: The Holocaust Is Over 16:38  |  CHGODMK 10/09/07
  45.   ANTON did you notice.Israelis DID choose those cars. 16:51  |  PETER S.M. 10/09/07
  46.   #10 Dav - Don`t worry 16:53  |  * BEN JABO 10/09/07
  47.   #18 Axel 16:55  |  * BEN JABO 10/09/07
  48.   Minister Cohen is not that stupid 16:58  |  Tosefta 10/09/07
  49.   #31 Bernd 16:58  |  * BEN JABO 10/09/07
  50.   #38 Mahona, I disagree with you 16:59  |  Alice of Wonderland 10/09/07
  51.   AXEL - In case you missed it 17:01  |  * BEN JABO 10/09/07
  52.   Germany has not run from it`s responsibility 17:09  |  Avrum 10/09/07
  53.   # 26 to Alice who enlightens people 17:19  |  Axel 10/09/07
  54.   Shas pathetic attempt at recognition 17:32  |  Chris Linthwate 10/09/07
  55.   Shas prefer Korean junk! 17:38  |  Simon Jenkins 10/09/07
  56.   but German submarines are OK? 17:46  |  chris 10/09/07
  57.   hunger 17:52  |  chaim 10/09/07
  58.   People, Not Cars, Shas 17:54  |  Yoram 10/09/07
  59.   holocaust is the hand of G-d 17:56  |  Humble Jew 10/09/07
  60.   Germany 18:08  |  Choni Davidowitz 10/09/07
  61.   German Cars Are not Made by Nazis 18:13  |  RHW 10/09/07
  62.   An idiot move by our corrupt MK`s who should devote themselves... 18:30  |  bat yam 10/09/07
  63.   Ummm.. today Germany is an ally of Israel 18:37  |  David 10/09/07
  64.   Shas and its lessons 18:51  |  franck_m 10/09/07
  65.   # 39 petersm 18:51  |  Axel 10/09/07
  66.   peter sm 33 18:59  |  realism 10/09/07
  67.   Absurd 19:01  |  Chick 10/09/07
  68.   #42 You forgot to mention 19:10  |  Frederique 10/09/07
  69.   JonathanS and other 240000 Jews 19:13  |  Dav 10/09/07
  70.   please leave Axel alone - he lives under occupation 19:17  |  17 10/09/07
  71.   Shas - shooting Israel in the foot 19:19  |  Dr. Simon Barak 10/09/07
  72.   Shas "lets move on" 19:23  |  Danite 10/09/07
  73.   Why not boycott gas guzzlers? 19:26  |  Nadav 10/09/07
  74.   SHAS - Polical Party - Regular Scoundrels 19:32  |  17 10/09/07
  75.   Well that will make Israel more "popular" in Germany 19:47  |  Petteri 10/09/07
  76.   Drive American Cars 19:49  |  mike 10/09/07
  77.   Israeli-made tanks are much better... 19:52  |  ben 10/09/07
  78.   Reply to Johnny Weintraub 19:59  |  Petteri 10/09/07
  79.   Geniuses,,,,,,,,,,,, 20:00  |  mike 10/09/07
  80.   Alice in Wonderland 20:14  |  Michael 10/09/07
  81.   Mercedes is Jewish 20:31  |  charles 10/09/07
  82.   In some countries MP`s walk to work......... 20:32  |  L A 10/09/07
  83.   # 24 Donna S, the ignorant 20:36  |  Kris