Organizer of German Jewish flotilla: We aren't betraying Israel
German Jewish Voice organization plans to send an aid ship to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza in July.
By DPA Tags: Israel news Jewish world Gaza flotillaAn organization of German Jews that wants to send an aid ship to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza says that its intentions are no betrayal of the Jewish people.
In an interview with the German Press Agency dpa in Berlin, Kate Katzenstein-Leiterer, a leader of the German Jewish Voice organization said instead that they wanted to help preserve the state of Israel by showing that its current policies were wrong.
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Israel Navy forces approach one of six ships of an aid flotilla bound for Gaza on May 31, 2010. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
"We want Israel to behave in a way that it can be recognized as a democratic state. Now it is recognized as a criminal state. That is not what we want," she said.
On May 31 nine people were killed when Israeli naval forces boarded ships in a flotilla carrying aid and activists - some of whom Israel says were armed - bound for the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
The event caused international outrage, and has prompted Iran to say it will send its own fleet, threatening more confrontation in the Mediterranean.
"Some see what we are doing as a betrayal. But the question is, what do they really know about the whole thing. Some people don't want to be educated," Katzenstein-Leiterer said.
Jewish Voice plans to fill at least one vessel with educational materials donated by German schoolchildren for Gazan kids, and sail it from a Mediterranean port in mid-July.
"We don't want any confrontation with the Israeli navy. We have informed the (Israeli) ambassador in Berlin, and if they find it necessary to stop and check us, we will let them do that."
"And when they don't find any material that could be a security risk, we want them to let us go into Gaza. We won't unload our cargo in any Israeli or Egyptian port," she says.
Katzenstein-Leiterer grew up in the former East Germany, to where her committed Communist parents returned after fleeing Hitler's regime in World War II.
Her organization is part of the European Jews for a Just Peace movement, a ten-country peace-activist network.
Jewish Voice in Germany says that it has gathered the funds for its aid ship project from personal donations, loans, and a donation from the Left Party, a small political grouping with strong support in the former East.
"Normal people here don't understand very much what is going on in Israel and Palestine," Katzenstein-Leiterer says.
"The German press doesn't show what is going on. People think all Gazans are terrorists, like West Germans used to think that all East Germans were informers for the Stasi (secret police).
Katzenstein-Leiterer says that her group's stance has caused them to be ostracized by the mainstream German-Jewish community, which numbers a little over 100,000.
"Most of the Jews in Germany are immigrants from the former Soviet Union, and they are not on our side. The other members of the community are not on our side either. They say that everything that Israel does is OK, and they close their eyes to what is going on."
A senior activist in the Jewish Voice movement, Rolf Verleger, was reportedly expelled from his position in the Central Council of Jews in Germany because he initiated a petition saying the 2006 Israeli invasion of Lebanon was "not in our name."
However, Katzenstein-Leiterer says that there are now a small group of German Jews who, despite the weight that Germany's history places on the Jewish community, want to speak out against a Israeli blockade policy - brought in after Hamas took control of the sliver of territory in 2007 - that they see as wrong.
"The whole blockade, the whole siege of Gaza is illegal. It is against international law and human rights," she says.
"We want to deliver musical instruments and school material. The children and deprived of every kind of school material; clothes, shoes, candies. We don't see that that is any kind of safety risk."
On Thursday the Israeli cabinet was expected to make a decision on scrapping the so-called "positive" list of items that they allow into Gaza in favor of a more relaxed "negative" list of prohibited items that could be of use to militants.
"We just see that a Jewish state is occupying Palestine, laying a siege, and depriving children of the things that they need. We as Jews are saying, 'not in our name.' We want to show that there are Jews in the world that are on the side of these deprived people," she says.
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Ms. Katzenstein-Leiterer says "normal" people don't know. Worse than not knowing is not knowing what you don't know. Also, thinking things through helps. She says they won't unload in any Egyptian or Israeli port. So stay home! Don't waste your donors' money.
Maybe she should look up the definition of democracy? You don't intend to hurt Israel but you embark among a challenge to a blockade that keeps weapons out of terrorist hands, directly threatening the lives of Israelis??? Of course you mean harm, you have joined our enemies to support Hamas, deligitimize Israel, and are acting like you know better what is best for Israel and it's people. Stay Home, don't do this.
She wants to deliver civilian goods to the Gaza people. That's something very different. And if Israel is a democracy or not has nothing to do with this. Btw, Lebanon and Turkey are democracies, too.
who can dictate others.
Germany lost its few colonies in 1918. So, after all that time, that's an accepted fact here. But look at the long list of US "territories": American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Minor Outlying Islands, Bajo Nuevo Bank, Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll. No to speak of all those military bases all around the world. And you accuse us Germans of Imperialism? Ridiculous!
"Jewish Voice in Germany says that it has gathered the funds for its aid ship project from personal donations, loans, and a donation from the Left Party, a small political grouping with strong support in the former East." I don't know if its very smart to align with the "Left"-Party. Influencial radical left-wing groups inside that party are known for their strong anti-israeli sentiments that often cross the border to antisemitism. They refused to stand up for Shimon Perez, when he held his speech in the German parliament, they refused to vote for a declaration of solidarity with Israel on the day of the Pogromnight, they called for "solidarity with Hisbollah" during the Lebanon war, they marched together with Hamas- and Hisbollah-supporters on demonstrations against Israel, they tried to strip the BAK Shalom (a israel-friendly group inside the Left-party) of all funding. Being in opposition to the blockade is one thing. I think even hardliners have to admit that it does not seem to be very effective. But taking money from groups that openly support terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hisbollah is delegitimizing the whole cause. Its just plain dumb.
There are a thousand and one in Africia that need this similar help while can you madam also help them with your flotilla to africia or because you want to make head lines.
Well done Jewish voice. You are the real spirit of the Jewish people and you make me proud to be Jewish. We will bring peace to Israel this way.
Hamas is laughing at the "useful idiots."
to be honest it´s better to take back the Nobelpreis from Mr Peres & to give it to Kate Katzenstein.
YOU ARE SUPPORTING A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION: HAMAS, THE PEOPLE OF GAZA ELECTED HAMAS, I.E. SAME AS THE PEOPLE OF GERMANY ELECTED HITLER AS THEIR NAZI LEADER..... GERMANS ELECTED HITLER AND THEY PAID FOR THIS MISTAKE. GAZAN'S ELECETD HAMAS.. YES THEY ARE RESPONSABLE FOR HAMAS SHOOTING ROCKETS INTO ISRAEL (10,000 ROCKETS), I DO NOT REMEMBER THE GERMAN JEWS ORGANIZING A FLOTILLA TO HELP THE CHILDREN OF SDEROT AND OTHER PLACES. SHAME ON YOU ....... YOU ARE TRAITORS TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE. BY THE WAY I AM NOT SOME RIGHT WING "NUT", I VOTE MERETZ !!!
"BY THE WAY I AM NOT SOME RIGHT WING "NUT", I VOTE MERETZ !!! " Very likely.
Binyamin Dissen (# 3) and Peter Plumb (# 18) call these German Jews "kapos". That is genuine hate-speech with absolutely no mitigating value and should not be allowed on Haaretz. Doesn't Haaretz have guidelines on such matters? Doesn't Israel have laws about hate-speech? Mark Marshall, Toronto, Canada
Thank you. May the Jewish flotilla go in peace to Gaza.
will the right wing nuts call ye antisemetic like us gentile who agree with you
Afaik there are about 250,000 Jewish Germans. If there are 100,000 among them who criticize the pro-peace actions of the Jewish Voice, this can't be called the "mainstream", but should be correctly identified as the right wing. No spin, pls!
These German Jews who want to organize a new aid-carrying flotilla to Gaza are very courageous.
The people of Gaza elected HAMAS in democratic elections, in my dictionary this means they agree to the Hamas Charter which states they will never accept Israel , no matter what. So why should Israel allow Gaza to become a terrorist base for Iran. 60 kms from Tel Aviv. The german jews are just a bunch of ignorant people , they seems to have a problem with their non-jewish friends and need to show that they are also anti-semites and anti-israeli, this is very modern today !!!, but remenber german Jews were sure that they were Germans until the nazis came and show them otherwise. The Nazis and other anti-semites must be so happy !!!!
"Normal people here don't understand very much what is going on in Israel and Palestine," Katzenstein-Leiterer says. And neither does Ms Katzenstein-Leiterer. It is not a wonder that most Jews in Germany are not on their side. Any organization which advocates boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel and is funded by deceitful and pro Palestinian organizations, is not to be trusted.
You sound as stupid as George W Bush when he said "you are with us or against us".
Misguided? They must be out of their minds. It is a disgrace. What makes them such experts. How much time have they spent in Israel and where were they when Hamas was sending thousands of missiles against innocent Israelis. They disgust me.
Interesting, isn't it, that these people are so concerned to get educational materials into Gaza but not at all concerned about the "education" the children will receive.
"We as Jews are saying, 'not in our name." no one is doing anythingin the name of Jews. we are dongt his in the name of the people of israel who are tired of running to shleters from gaza rocket fire maybe just maybe you need to look up what is actually going on here before you stick your nose in it
According to Israel there is no "people of Israel", only Jews and non-Jews...
The "people of Israel" always go running to Jews abroad for funds to rebuilt after wars and buy ambulances while demanding they not question the policies of the state. We are inextricably linked and the actions of the people of Israel are in the name of Jews worldwide.
Where was your organization when rockets were raining at Sderot?
Where was your organization when rockets were raining at Sderot?
The building up of a real war started from a foundation, the utterly false Goldstone Report. This was predicted clearly by the US as lots of countries were playing around with Hamas's lies, blindly accepted by Goldstone. A lot of good Israeli people couldn't see their own contribution to a future human disaster. Yet, it moves straight in that direction. How could that be that no one understood the US thinking? At least now, can you see where we stand after the Goldstone report? Can you extrapolate this line into the future? Not even now? Maybe you would be so kind and listen to Joe Biden,.... PBS interview aired on Wednesday, June 2, 2010, American VP Joe Biden explained what really happened towards and during the flotilla incident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGvx7FarInQ
AMAZING!!! Do you have no memory??????? I live in Europe and feel the hate every day...
if you feel hate in Europe, so move to Israel
It is ashame that jewish in the diaspora specially from Germany give opinion about Israel. It is easy to talk anddo when you are not in the place suffering. Just to reminder to the jewish in Germany the holocaust.
For some time I have been thinking, which of the flotilla supporting organisations I should support financially. Now I think the "German Jewish Voice organization" is one of them, that is worth to be supported for the aim of breaking the evil Gaza siege.
The same said their capos grandfathers in the Nazi camps
Shouldn't there be at least some standards of civil debate? What's the value of pure insults, comments that don't anything to the discussion about the issues? Such ad hominem attacks, smearing the grandparents of peace activists as KZ collaborators, really go too far!
Now the kapos are Abbas' PA henchmen in the territories, keeping Israel's rule in place. How History repeats, huh?
To these brave people. They are the ones who will save Israel from itself while the rest stick their heads in the sand and won't admit how wrong Israel's policies towards the Palestinians are.
Do you really believe they are trying to "save Israel from itself" as you say? In their lexicon, what does it mean to "save" Israel -- to turn it into a weakened state that can be overrun and then destroyed? So that Hamas can maintain its stated course and the Arabs can force out the Jews? Is that what "saving" Israel will result in? What other vision do you foresee from weakening Israel?
The reason for the blockade is to ensure that no aid gets into gaza unchecked. The German Jews say they are prepared to have their ships checked and do not seek confrontation. So what's the point of their action?
for not leaving "the Land of Israel"
Great to witness this as a German citizen. I am happy to see this happening in the German jewish community. The blockade is a shame to every sane human.
Do you wonder why your political group is shrinkinking? Do yourself a favour and take up knitting. Run along now little girl.
Icant imagine this is done by Jews! betraying thier owne brothers, the german jews leave in germany they dont no what their brothers are gioing through, even if they think that israels current policies were bad, this not the way they should go about it. let them think twice before they take any move.
Until the dark days of the Holocaust, many German Jews trusted they were German citizens with all their rights. Now again, some trust amalek. Luckily, not all of them are so naive.
Stay in Germany we don't want you here, go visit Auschwitz instead and see how many were slaughtered because of there illusion … How sad that you still didn’t learn anything and I will not stand by you bringing harm to my country and our children…
YES ...YOU ARE!
in reality what now starts to take world wide proportions is the blockade against the state of israel,this state is the victim of herself,of her fanatic religious-nationalist majority it is like the six-day war results were much more a curse than a blessing.
most gazans agree & side with the terrorists,confirmed by their majority vote for the terrorist orgainization hamas.
By your own reasoning, there were lots of terrorists among the first Israelis, too. Don't forget that the Irgun became the Likud! So, beware of double standards. Lazy judgements may backfire.
Or in other words, sometimes your "very best friends" (U.S Congress/Christian Right) are in fact your very worst enemies......
Sure, we understand. First of all: Good German citizens, and then, of jewish parents. Just like my grandparents now in Auschwitz, formerly in Berlin. "Nobody knows...." "Everybody thinks..." Deja' vu?
..for keeping the true jewish way alive..... this is what israeli jews have forgotten.
Only difference is now it is completely voluntary and no way to claim that they were forced into it.
After all, who would volunteer for helping supress their own people in order to secure privileges? Those who think that "the end justifies all means", and who endorese the strategy of "everybody for himself". That's much more compatible with the right wing mindset.
Misguided souls
on the way. HAMAS IS A TERORIST ORGANIZATION AND NOT SOME MOTHER TEREZA
common sense is not so common in israel. being jewish doesnt mean that i will be with israel policies forever..
Do explain why those trying to act humanly as possible, even to non-Jews, are misguided souls, no really DO explain!
It is really frustrating to read comments like Sky's. Since when was it established that all Jews must agree with Israel's policies and actions? When will the day come when the voice of Jews from all over the world - whether agreeing with Israel's policies or rejecting them - will be heard and not discounted as Sky so naively pointed out they are nothing more than misguided souls. And the souls of people who blindly accept and support everything Israel does are well-guided? I think not. Wake up people! Israel makes mistakes, and unjust decisions, and crimes. To keep blindly applauding everything Israel's government is doing will only lead to more and more isolation from the world. Complacency is going to be the end of Israel. The worldwide Jewish voice does matter. One must always accept the fact that Jews living outside of Israel can offer a new perspective on how to come clean. Go back in your safe, dark and reassuring cocoon Sky. Don't forget your blindfolds and ear plugs. Sweet dreams.
They are Humanitarians and good on them. Obviously Sky is a dark cruel and mean Sky
will one day be cruel to the kind. It is not about the survival of Gaza. It is about the survival of Israel. Gaza is just a tool the muslims use to continue to try to destroy Israel. They couldn't give a crap about the Palestinians, as long as they can use them to destroy the Jews, who they hate more. So how many of you, who support the flotillas, and oppose the blockade actually think Israel has the right to exist. I'm thinking pretty much none.
"Jewish Voice plans to fill at least one vessel with educational materials" "We want to deliver musical instruments and school material" It really seems they are Humanitarians But.... wait a minute, why wouldn't they unload their cargo in any Israeli or Egyptian port???? Isn't their goal to relieve the suffering of the Gaza children? I can't imagine a child rejecting candy because it has been on a egiptian port, can you? Provocation seems to be the game of the game here.
the group is supported by the left party which is in most parts very anti-israel. members of them even give anti-semitic statements. so, jews who work together with anti-semites are indeed misguided!
wunderbar http://www.mideast.co.il/p-2_a-333/