The Jewish Central Council of Germany accuses Catholic bishops of anti-semitism.
Translation of original article in German.
The President of the Jewish Central Council of Germany Charlotte Knobloch- "insinuations which were right at the border of anti-semitism. "
German Bishops have caused frictions on their visit to the Near East, Charlotte Knobloch says that the statements made by them were “at the border of anti-semitism”. The Bishops had compared Palestinian towns with the Warsaw Ghetto.
The Israeli Ambassador Shimon Stein spoke of a demonisation of Israel.
Fr Hans Langendoeffer SJ, the Secretary of the German Bishops’ Conference regretted the discord created. The members of the Permanent Council of the German Bishops’ Conference had visited Israel and the Palestinian Autonomous Areas for a week.
The Bishop of Eichstatt Gregor Maria Hanke who had compared the conditions in the Palestinian towns with those of the Warsaw Ghetto was criticized by Knobloch and Vice-President Dieter Graumann. The Bishop of Augsburg, Walter Mixa has in addition talked about Israeli racism in dealing with the Palestinians. These statements are according to Knobloch’s judgements, “moved close to the borders of anti-semitism”.
The President of the German Israeli Parliamentary Group in the Bundestag (German Parliament) Jerzy Montag asked the Bishops for an apology.
Knobloch said that it was especially disappointing that the visit had ended in upset.
No equivalence
“We also understand that the situation of the Palestinians is not easy”, says Graumann in a Cologne newspaper “but those who say the condition is equal to the suffering of the Jews in the ghettos of the Nazis, they truly have not learned anything from history. Such a statement has an anti-semitic core”. To relativise the deeds of the Nazis with the actions of the successors of the victims of the Nazis is evidence of a hostile attitude to Jews. The Central Committee expects Lehmann who is the President of the Bishops’ Conference to issue a clarification. Stein accused the Bishops of demagogy and demonising Israel.
Those who use terms like, “Warsaw Ghetto” in connection with Israeli or Palestinian politics have either forgotten everything or have not learnt anything or have morally failed. Langendoeffer explained that very personal remarks had been made by some when visiting Bethlehem under the influence of an “oppressive situation” and an emotional dismay of individuals, which however had since been corrected. This refers especially to an off the cuff remark referred to the Warsaw Ghetto.
The President of the Jewish Central Council of Germany Charlotte Knobloch- "insinuations which were right at the border of anti-semitism. "
German Bishops have caused frictions on their visit to the Near East, Charlotte Knobloch says that the statements made by them were “at the border of anti-semitism”. The Bishops had compared Palestinian towns with the Warsaw Ghetto.
The Israeli Ambassador Shimon Stein spoke of a demonisation of Israel..jpg)
Fr Hans Langendoeffer SJ, the Secretary of the German Bishops’ Conference regretted the discord created. The members of the Permanent Council of the German Bishops’ Conference had visited Israel and the Palestinian Autonomous Areas for a week.
The Bishop of Eichstatt Gregor Maria Hanke who had compared the conditions in the Palestinian towns with those of the Warsaw Ghetto was criticized by Knobloch and Vice-President Dieter Graumann. The Bishop of Augsburg, Walter Mixa has in addition talked about Israeli racism in dealing with the Palestinians. These statements are according to Knobloch’s judgements, “moved close to the borders of anti-semitism”.
The President of the German Israeli Parliamentary Group in the Bundestag (German Parliament) Jerzy Montag asked the Bishops for an apology.
Knobloch said that it was especially disappointing that the visit had ended in upset.
No equivalence
“We also understand that the situation of the Palestinians is not easy”, says Graumann in a Cologne newspaper “but those who say the condition is equal to the suffering of the Jews in the ghettos of the Nazis, they truly have not learned anything from history. Such a statement has an anti-semitic core”. To relativise the deeds of the Nazis with the actions of the successors of the victims of the Nazis is evidence of a hostile attitude to Jews. The Central Committee expects Lehmann who is the President of the Bishops’ Conference to issue a clarification. Stein accused the Bishops of demagogy and demonising Israel.
Those who use terms like, “Warsaw Ghetto” in connection with Israeli or Palestinian politics have either forgotten everything or have not learnt anything or have morally failed. Langendoeffer explained that very personal remarks had been made by some when visiting Bethlehem under the influence of an “oppressive situation” and an emotional dismay of individuals, which however had since been corrected. This refers especially to an off the cuff remark referred to the Warsaw Ghetto.
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