German Jewish leader accuses Merkel minister of anti-Semitism

One of these days someone is going to cry "anti-Semitism!!!!" and no one is going to listen. I am getting so sick and tired of any criticism of Israel being termed "anti-Semitic." When France was criticized for nuclear tests in the Pacific, the French didn't scream "anti-French." When America was criticized for its wars in Vietnam and its support for right wing dictatorships around the world, Americans didn't scream "anti-American." When China was criticized for Tiennamen Square, they didn't scream "anti-Chinese." What is with those who have to scream "anti-Semitism" whenever there is justifiable criticism of Israel? One day, when real anti-Semitism rears its ugly head, no one will listen.

the Minister is an Anti-Semite. Doesn't he denies the holocaust too????

You don't seem to know that the leader of what you call "the post-Stalinistic party of former Eastern (Stalinist) Germany", Gregor Gysi is a jew. In case the allegation of anti-semitism doesn't work we still have "jüdischer Helbsthasz" .

SHe's being accused of anti semitism because of asking for a United Nations probe into Israel's use of cluster bombs in military strikes on Lebanese and Hezbollah targets which is true !! "These people support the anti-mood against Jews in Germany," said Knobloch. They support truth and justice stop twisting everything.

UN repeatedly addressed NATO's use of cluster bombs. Check UN web site.

Concerning the schoolbooks, there was an inquiry in the German parliament, there were German TV-interviews with Palestinian teachers who admitted it. But you may look at the books for the year 2006/2007: no mentioning of Israel but of the infamous Protocols of Zion instead. Lafontaine, a former Social Democrat, is one of the two leaders of the post-Stalinist party PDS in the Bundestag. Before 1990, these people in the former oppressive GDR used to take old Nazi caricatures from “Der Stuermer” and presented them in their party newspaper with only one change: The word “Jew” was replaced by the word “Israel”. As for Stalin you are mixing up things as usual: after having gone trough the German annihilation camps, many surviving Jews gave Communism a chance, but they left Stalinism because it turned out to be another dictatorship. It took 45 years to liberate Europe from this leftist pest.

NATO used extensivly cluster bombs in its military campain in Kosovo in 1999.A number of civilians died including some in town of Nis where bombs " accidentaly " landed.NOBODY in UN or Germany reacted! It is easy to confirm this through Internet. It really looks bed when UN now condems Israel without mentioning NATO use of same bombs in Europe.

Mrs. Knobloch was not exaggerating, she was rather downplaying the actual situation in Germany. If Mr. Bubis, one of her predecessors, is cited, it should be stated that he considered at the end of his life everything that he did in Germany in vain, that Germany was no place for Jews. If de Wolf wants to translate from German, than he should translate songs from the booming Nazi Rock groups in Germany with such nice names as “Jewslaughter” or “Alcoholocaust”. These people are singing about Jewish skins employed for lampshades and the like. Their songs are freely distributed in schools and can be bought officially. It is of secondary importance that the Chancellor is not anti-Israel, the people is not behind her in this question.

Certainly Bor de Wolf you can understand the difference between willful murder and negligent homicide? The Israeli government twice gave binding assurances to the US government that it would not use cluster munitions in populated areas. The reason the US demanded such assurances was obvious. We all shall overlook the massive use of cluster munitions in populated areas by the US during the conquest of Iraq, The serious question is does requesting an inquiry into the use of cluster munitions against civilian populations constitute and anti-American or anti-Semitic action? Did Israeli complaints about anti-personnel warheads on Katyushka's constitute an anti-Arab action? The US did use cluster munitions in populated areas of Iraq, Israel did use them in populated areas of Lebanon, and Hizbollah did use anti-personnel warheads on Katyushkas. These are facts, they have nothing to do with anyone being anti-anything. Grow up. Accept responsibility for what you support.

SHe's being accused of anti semitism because of asking for a United Nations probe into Israel's use of cluster bombs in military strikes on Lebanese and Hezbollah targets which is true !! "These people support the anti-mood against Jews in Germany," said Knobloch. They support truth and justice stop twisting everything.

"For years, as a German minister, she [Ms. Zeul] was financing official Palestinian schoolbooks that have called for hatred against Jews and for the destruction of Israel." - Jonathan S Nice piece of propaganda, those school books, but do you (or anyone else who mentions it) have any corroboration of this from undisputed sources? "The other guy, Lafontaine, represents the post-Stalinistic party of former Eastern (Stalinist) Germany, therefore no comment is necessary here." - Jonathan S You know as well as I do - and even better, considering it is YOUR domestic politics - that Lafontaine was running on the West-German WASG ticket, the WASG and the PDS decided to ally, and only due to time constraints with registering for the election office, they decided to use the PDS registration for that. Moreover, what's "stalinistic" about Gregor Gysi and the PDS? On the Laender (cf. states in the US) level, they have had or have several successful coalitions with the SPD, e.g. in Meclenburg and in Berlin. And last but not least: the same Stalin you mention was among the first to recognize Israel. And many others on the left also saw in Labor-party dominated Israel a new left promise. What has become of that? Maybe the occupation and brutal oppression of the occupied territories contributed to the critical stance of most on the Left to Israel?

So even those who routinely suck up to Israel, like Merkel, aren't spared the 'anti-semite' libel now. Don't you people realize what you are doing? You are totally depleting the force of such accusations when you fling them about as indiscriminately as the IDF uses, well, cluster bombs (100,000 of which are so far found at 359 separate sites, according to UN clearance experts).

swinging the antisemetic club. You critisize Israel, you are a antisemit and send you to jail. Between 700,000 and a million Lebanese have been made refugees: almost 25% of the entire population. In addition to targeting civilian areas for massive aerial bombardment, including the use of cluster bombs forbidden by international law.

Mrs. Knobloch was not exaggerating, she was rather downplaying the actual situation in Germany. She receives hate mail by the hundreds daily. If Mr. Bubis, one of her predecessors, is cited, it should be stated that he considered at the end of his life everything that he did in Germany in vain, that Germany was no place for Jews. If de Wolf wants to translate from German, than he should translate songs from the booming Nazi Rock groups in Germany with such nice names as “Jewslaughter” or “Alcoholocaust”. These people are singing about Jewish skins employed for lampshades and the like. Their songs are freely distributed in schools and can be bought officially. It is of secondary importance that the Chancellor is not anti-Israel, the people is not behind her in this question.

There is no comparison between cluster bombs and ball bearings. Unexploded cluster bombs are killing children in south Lebanon as we speak. The only thing the Jews would accept as none anti-Semitic comments is total silence.

I agree that it is wrong and self defeating to call everyone who criticizes Israel or asks for an inquiry anti-semitic. But in this case one has to wonder why Wieczorek-Zeul did not ask for a broader inquiry. Is it not the case that the Hezys use ballbearings in their rockets and is it not the case that those rockets were manufactured and delivered to the Hezys by nation states knowing they would be used to target civilians. So, its the lack of balance, the targeting of Israel that makes one legitimately suspicious.

HAARETZ, can you please provide quotes of what Wieczorek-Zeul and Left Party leader Oskar Lafontaine said?

Use of cluster bombs against civilians is illegal. (See the american reaction.) If we call everyone who critizises Israel an antisemit who will stand at our side when we really have to fight antisemitism. No german chancellor ever was so honest about supporting Israel as Merkel. The move of Knobloch was an overreaction and not at all helpfull. Edith

From the Spiegel interview at URL http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,434132,00.html (first in German): "Bei Demonstrationen werden hier etwa Plakate durch die Strassen getragen, auf denen steht: "Israel - Kindermoerder". Die Polizei zieht diese Parolen nicht ein" In English that means: "At demos, people bear banners with "Israel child murderers". The police doesn't confiscate those banners". Pardon? There is something as freedom of speech. Moreover, the statement is correct. Just reading Haaretz vindicates the statement. From the same paragraph: "Wir als juedische Buerger in Deutschland werden in den aktuellen Nahostkonflikt hundertprozentig hineingezogen." Translated: "We Jewish citizens of Germany get sucked in into the current ME conflict for 100%". Then I'd say, as president of the "Zentralrat der Juden" in Germany, make a stance and make clear to the citizens that you're not one-sided pro-Israel, that there are two different things, Jews, and Israel politics, and that they're not always 100% aligned. But no, both are mentioned in one and the same sentence: "Ich sehe eine absolute Anti-Stimmung gegen Juden und den Staat Israel." Or worse, one is transformed into another: "Die Linksfraktion ist nicht sonderlich sachlich in der Beurteilung der Katastrophe in Nahost. Auch die SPD-Entwicklungshilfeministerin Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul zaehle ich dazu. Diese Leute unterstuetzen noch die Anti-Stimmung gegen die Juden in Deutschland." Translation: "The Linkspartei is not very factual in their judgement of the ME catastrophe. This holds also for the SPD development aid Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul. These people aid the negative atmosphere against the Jews in Germany." I think, if that even is the case, then Frau Knobloch and her predecessors have done something wrong. And that's not for lack of airtime - Herr Bubis, for instance, was a regular guest on German television.

This is a barefaced attempt by the jews to cast aspersions about decent German people. It is well known that the German people are cultured and refined and would not be tainted with antisemitism.

The "pre-Vatican 2 thing" had lasted nearly 2,000 years. Even outside of Vatican it was strongly reinforced by the likes of Martin Luther and Hitler. Patrick Buchanan is a professional demagogue of a populist stripe who is in the business of, well, Pat Buchanan.

Zeul did not express any hatred towards Judaism or followers of the Jewish faith when he said cluster bombs should not be used in civilian areas. how on earth is trying to save civilian lives deemed anti-semitic? that legendary label is wearing awfully thin.

As polls have revealed, about 80% of Germans were against Israel during the war on Hizbullah. So Miss Zeul is only expressing what most Germans are thinking. It is doubtful if she is anti-Semitic, she simply hates Israel. For years, as a German minister, she was financing official Palestinian schoolbooks that have called for hatred against Jews and for the destruction of Israel. Miss Zeul is a survivor of the anti-Israel government of former chancellor Schroeder. Miss Merkel is the first Chancellor for decades who is not anti-Israel but she is in a coalition with the Left. The other guy, Lafontaine, represents the post-Stalinistic party of former Eastern (Stalinist) Germany, therefore no comment is necessary here.

she said they are enhancing negative feelings about IL and are one sided, which is true

those people promote immediate ceasefire but no disarmament of nasrallah and no german troops for the boarder at the same time. which means: IL gets shot at and is not supposed to do a thing about it. the socialdemocrat minister wiczorek zeul is a cold as ice strategist, sitting in any talk show waiting to be able to drop her text "we love both arabs and jews-but for now, lets criticize IL" pds-wasg left wing party fishes in the far left (against globalosation and US dominance), far right (against "foreign workers") and muslim soup, about 10% votes. party leader lafontaine was major in my former hometown, an ordinary criminal, corrupt to the bone, cold as ice as well and pretty smart. i used to know some friends of his. he even runned for chancelor once, after that got pushed aside by former chancellor schroeder, left socialdemocrats and now hates the world. sounds familiar? one just has to be able to make votes out of the murky anti-IL feeling! until now, everybody fails

Anti-semitism for questioning the (possibly) illegal use of cluster bombs in residential areas? The more the anti-semitism cry is made when someone questions Israeli policy, the more a) the policies of Israel are seen as representative of jews in general, and b) the less likely we are to have genuine cases of anti-semitism dealt with quickly and effectively when they occur.

I must have missed something: how on earth condemning the use of custer bombs on Lebanese civilians, which is right now investigated by the US State Department an expression of anti-Semitism. Somebody. please explain.

one has to be careful when you use that remark. Now I think Patrick Buchanan may be an anti-semite but it just may be that he doesn't have any love for Jews or Israel. I would attribute that to his old fashioned Catholic background. Sort of a pre-Vatican 2 thing! But does that make someone an anti-semite? Talk is one thing but action is another! Selah!