Israel envoy: Spain must rein in Leftists' anti-Semitic attacks
Raphael Schutz responds to El Mundo decision to publish interview with Holocaust denier David Irving.
By Michal Zebede Tags: Spain Israel newsIsrael's ambassador to Spain this week urged the government to control the "anti-Semitic attacks" emanating from Leftists and intellectuals, according to the Spanish news agency Europa Press.
At a conference in Toledo on Tuesday, Ambassador Raphael Schutz criticized certain publications for printing "comic vignettes of Nazi [character]."
His allegation targeted the leading Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, which is set to publish an interview with Holocaust-denier David Irving this Saturday. Earlier this week, in a letter to El Mundo, Schutz slammed the paper's intention to publish Irving's words alongside those of Holocaust experts.
"The fault is not of the anti-Semites, who are everywhere, but rather of the editors and directors who decide to publish them," Schutz told the audience.
His lecture, "Spain-Israel: The friend in the mirror," was delivered as part of a summer-long conference series, "From tolerance to freedom. On the development of Jewish life in Democratic Spain."
Schutz also criticized local intellectuls' attacks on Zionism, claiming their anti-Israel assertions were often endorsed and protected by the government wary of hindering freedom of speech.
Anti-Semitism in Spain, said Schutz, has reached alarming levels as a result of deep-rooted stereotypes, ignorance, and a lack of information.
He cited a study performed last year, in which 46 percent of secondary school students openly stated that they would not like to have a Jewish classmate.
The danger is that this ignorance and anti-Semitism are rampant not only among the general public, he said, but also amidst the intellectual elite.
However, "The Spanish government is not always anti-Semitic," Schutz said, adding "it has taken action against [anti-Semitism]," with the inclusion of Holocaust studies in school curricula, for instance.
Schutz ultimately called on the Spanish government to control these anti-Semitic voices.
As a solution to ending anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in Spain, Schutz proposed that the Israeli government devote funds to publicizing Israel's success and culture - including her medical advances and Tel Aviv's liberal mindset - in countries abroad.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
Spain is one of the few countries whose media is not fully Zionist owned and manipulated. As Palestinians are also "Semites" and are not criticized, the hurling of that now meaningless epithet is laughable. Spanish media rightly criticizes Israel's actions. It is a quiet eradication of the Palestinians on their own land. (It is THEY who are the people of the Bible on the land of the Bible!) If you stop that murderous actions, then you'll be welcome back to the realm of civilized nations. Simple as that.
El Mundo is conservative, right wing newspaper. Spain is not antisemitic (altough agree with Semsem is someting in the culture, coming prob from inquisition times), moreover we all have semitic blood (I am christian but my mother surname is sephardic) and proud of it. If Israel is ever critizied in Spain is because, of its actions as an independent state not because of beign jew. Mr Schultz should also understand that we have 8 centuries of good and bad relationship (between arabs, jews and christians) and take a more mediterranean approach to the relationship with this country, this is not northern europe. Most of us is very proud of our common past and our shre of semitic origins. To RB, ETA has killed 900 people for no reason, best thing is that this ends, not that gets additional support.
wake up ! antizionism is not antisemitism ! israel position is no longer acceptable to the world including the westen world
Rather than complaining about antizionism and antisemitism, he should be funding subversive groups such as ETA. This is the only proper response to the Spanish hostility towards Israel, and their funding of anti-Israel groups. Otherwise, Israel should not have an ambassador in Spain at all.
So Spain joins the US, Sweden, the Vatican, Turkey, Norway and the others states being subject to Israeli criticism. Israel must be smart as well as strong and by constantly attacking the behaviour of other states runs the risk of losing their goodwill and becoming diplomatically isolated. Relations with the Obama administration are not good, perhaps it is time for Israel to pick the issues that are most important and leave the less relevant ones.
Chris Linthwaite and article titled Spain must rein in Leftists' anti-Semitic attacks. Mr. Linthwaite, please excuse my being a tad pedantic, but it's is a contraction for it is and not the possessive its. Just thought you might like to know. Suggest a dictionary or even spell check. But for your somewhat obsessive mind-set, not sure what to recommend!
Yes Chris it could, Europe is not in such a unique and dictating position anymore - thank God. and it will lose more of it's standing rapidly -I witness it. Anyway Europe has harmed the world enough - now it's the time of the others!
El Mundo is far away from being a "leftist" newspaper, like El Pais it is rather tending towards the Spanish "Conservatives". Rather embarrassing for an Israeli ambassador not to be aware of that....
As far as I know, Chris, we are do not receive financial support, or are in any other way dependent on Europe (actually, except for the Palestinians, I do not know who is. On second thoughts, not even the Palestinians). So what are you talking about, abstaining in the UN? Trading with Iran? Spain, by the way, is certainly a beautiful and interesting country, but it has never really overcome its historically rooted antisemitism (not a lot of Jews living there). The vulgar antizionism of its left and the ignorance of its citizens about anything Jewish, or Israeli is mind-boggling. Actually a pitty, the first and last soldier who died for the Republicans in the civil war against the fascists, were Jews. Many Jews fought for a democratic Spain. Some of those went on to fight against British imperial rule in Palestine and for a free Israel
You have only to read his persistent, vile spews on this site to recognize an all-out Jew-hater.
The whole point of the State of Israel is that Jews should be able to live and be safe without the assistance of other nations. The nations of the world(majority) have proven over the course of many centuries that they are no friends of Jews and can't be relied on for our protection.That's especially true for Europe.
Calling Spain an "ally" of Israel is no different than calling Hitler a "friend" of the Jews. From Queen Isabella's moves to exterminate the Jews, to today's promotion of Holocaust deniers like Irving as "experts" on Jewish history, the history of Spain is coated in Antisemitic histrionics and mass murder. Only someone like Linthwaite would consider that an "ally."
to piss off it's allies in Europe. Europe could quite easily live without Israel. Could Israel say the same about Europe?
"He cited a study performed last year, in which 46 percent of secondary school students openly stated that they would not like to have a Jewish classmate. " Its very unfortunate and I still believe that not every jew is evil and not every muslim is a terrorist but people normally belive what they see and read and currently the acts of israel does not put it in a good light. The world knows how Israel treat non jews and it should not expect the world to sing songs of praise for it. You would reap what what you sow !! It's not rocket science and doesnt take much pondering to understand!
In the last 2 weeks we have had problems of Anti semitism from Sweden, Norway and Spain, and this is only Europe. I think it is very scary the times we are living in, even with Israel to protect us. Some of the comments i have read on papers like the NYT, or WSJ are very worrying. they suggest that it is ok for iran to have nukes because israel has. Jews as a nation have to unite into 1 people. We have to drop our prejudices between us and study Kaballah. otherwise we may find ourselves in a situation of dire consequenses.
Spaniards, just like most Europeans, are not anti-semitic. They just dislike and despise a clearly racist and apartheid-like state like Israel. Europeans don't hate Jews, they just understand that colonial-minded and Human Right-abusive regimes need to be condemned unambiguously. It has nothing to do with Judaism, but with Humans Rights respect and International Law.
This is the most startling information of this article: "He cited a study performed last year, in which 46 percent of secondary school students openly stated that they would not like to have a Jewish classmate." These kids are offended by the mere presence of a Jewish child in the classroom...?
Israel, the purported "only democracy in the Middle East," must think that REAL democracies are as fond of hounding intellectuals and stifling discussion -- however distasteful -- as IT is.
Spanish left is very antisemitic, this is no secret, but the problem is they are very igorant about the Jews, their history, the state of Israel and "salad mix" many different topics shuch as holocaust, palestinians, anti globalization, anti US, Jewish religion all in the same pot. Many Spaniards are well meant people, and genuinely want the best for Palestinians our of good heart, but the intellecutuals are mean. No surprise that an Israeli diplomat is challenging El Mundo openly, and some noice is heard..but this is an old ill: Spanish antisemitism
Antisemitism is in their culture. It will be hard to destroy.