Brazilian President: We must never accept denial of the Holocaust
Da Silva: Each time we pay homage to the victims of the Holocaust, we help prevent that horror from repeating itself.
By The Associated PressBrazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva joined Jewish leaders to mark the 62nd anniversary of the liberation of Nazi death camps, saying the Holocaust must never be denied and urging the world to prevent it from ever happening again.
"In the 21st century we cannot accept the denial of the Holocaust as a historical fact...nor can we accept those who deny that six million Jews were massacred," Silva told some 500 people at the Sao Paulo Jewish Congregation's synagogue on Friday.
"Each time we pay homage to the victims of the Holocaust, we strengthen those forces that will prevent that same horror from repeating itself," he said after praising the United Nation's General Assembly for last week's approval of a resolution condemning the denial of the Holocaust.
Silva's remarks came at a ceremony held to commemorate the January 27, 1945 liberation and to mark the second International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
He did not specifically mention Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but the congregation's chief rabbi, Henry Sobel, said the Brazilian president's presence at Friday's event represented a repudiation of Ahmadinejad's insistence that the Holocaust was a myth.
Sobel also said he was concerned by what he called growing anti-Semitism in Venezuela.
"President Hugo Chavez's rhetoric is anti-Semitic and he is a close ally of the president of Iran, and both of them share a profound hatred of Israel," Sobel said.
Chavez has cultivated friendly ties with Ahmadinejad and last year called Israeli attacks in Lebanon during a conflict with Hezbollah militants a new Holocaust. He has made other remarks criticized by some Jewish groups as anti-Semitic, though he said his comments were misinterpreted.
At about 130,000 strong, Brazil's Jewish community is the second-largest in South America after Argentina, which is home to an estimated 200,000 Jews.
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Wait - the US and Israeli governments are talking about commencing MORE wars (possibly nuclear) and Chavez is the nutcase? What does that make Bush? The possessor of a secret and higher truth? Does that seem likely?
cc, don't bother with your evenhanded and sensible rhetoric. Alas, you should understand that pro-zionists will label you an anti-semite for even suggesting that Israel is ever in the wrong. Still, I applaud your spirit -- may it remain undaunted. For the record (as if it matters to 98% of the people reading), cc is right. While you may silence citics by the ferocity of your opposition to that fact, the implications of your resistance to truth will eventually be yours to deal with.
Lula comes from poverty and has implemented a true social and economic revolution benefiting our less favored Brazilian brothers.About our Jeish community:A true important community in the Brazilian development in all areas as Medicine(The Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo is pioneering the implantation of beta cells through porta vein to fix them in liver with consequent producing of insulin.).In journalism we have Alberto Dines with an important journalist programme on TV.We alwaya have ministers from our Jewish folk as Alberto Goldman and Celso Lafer and mny other examples.
I'm brazilian, I'm a muslim and I am what used to be called leftist. I know exactly how difficult things are in Midle East right now. I have my opinions about this and that, about the right of palestinians to have a State, etc But we, brazilians of all religions, are a bit different from the rest of the world. Even the muslims here. I believe that to deny the killing of millions of jews during the many centuries is all about to deny that the sun shines and the moon brights. Most of the muslims here knows how dangerous are Chaves, Ahmadinejad and company. Denial of history is the first step to kill the religious freedom we have. To deny history is to deny the suffering of many jewish friends. Many people suffered and still suffering in almost all ethnic groups and religions. This doesn't change what happened. Lula just represents what most of brazilians think.
This was a dark time of mankind. But, this cannot be used forever as a reason to argument on any subject of live. WE (the World) have to move on an look forword, the future. Decision have to be made around two principles: on what are the interests, and what is the best for us (mankind wise - not on religious centric factors).
There is a new generation of socialist South-American leaders. But they are not made of one skin. While Chavez is a nut case, Brazilian President Lola is a man with vision but also abilities who takes the right steps to heal his country's economy and improve the poor people's conditions.
Is it a coincidence that one of Venezuelas largest communities are Lebanese and olose to Hisbollah. And they control to a large extent the drug traficking according to official reports from the DEA and the UN. And this drug money finances to a large extent Hisbollah. And under Chavez the cooperation with the US has quasi stopped, thats why Hisbollah and Ahmadinjad love him.
and asymetric warfare is crucial if Israel is to find a two state solution to the troubles. Is denial starting at home?
I am proud that Brazil has led the way of countenance of growing anti-semitic remarks in our region. President Lula ought to be congratulated for expressing forcefully that such stupid and uneducated acts such as the holocaust denial only serve the agenda of those who would like to perpetrate more hateful acts and kill other jews presently. We citizens of the world should forcefully condenm that. I am Christian ( as most Brazilians) butI ask the world PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH MY JEWISH BROTHER!!!
His comments show that he understands why it's so important to all of humanity to remember the Shoah. There are a lot of people who fail to grasp that.
olini before WW2.