http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4123937,00.html German fund finances anti-Semitic activity
Fund established to compensate Nazi victims sponsors 'educational' booklets questioning State of Israel's right to exist
Eldad Beck
Published: 09.19.11, 08:38 / Israel Jewish Scene
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
share
The resources of a Nazi forced labor compensation fund are being used to finance anti-Israel activities, some of which are clearly anti-Semitic, Yedioth Ahronoth has learned.
German fund "Memory, Responsibility and Future" was established 11 years ago to compensate Nazi victims who were subjected to forced labor during World War II. Now it turns out that some of its resources are being used for entirely different goals.
Anti-Semitism
EJC: European attitudes 'deeply disturbing' / Ynetnews
Poll conducted by German think-tank finds 72% of Poles, 68% of Hungarians and 50% of Germans believe 'Jews try to take advantage of having been victims during the Nazi era'
Full story
Yedioth Ahronoth has received a booklet including anti-Semitic propaganda and drawings, which was sponsored by the fund and prepared at the end of a student exchange program between high school students from Nazareth and students from an eastern German city.
The booklet allegedly tries to examine and compare the educational rights of young Germans and Israeli Arabs. In practice, it includes blatant anti-Semitic incitement questioning the State of Israel's right to exist.
One of the drawings, for example, compares between a classroom in a "Jewish school" and a "Palestinian" classroom. In the "Jewish" classroom, five children with side-locks and skullcaps are seen sitting comfortably at spacious tables. The "Palestinian" classroom is packed with dozens of children and has cobwebs on the walls and narrow tables.
Another drawing shows two young men in the "Holy Land": A white one (Jew) and a dark-skinned one (Arab). The Jew, standing in front of a tank, asks the Arab to be his friend, and the Arab has no choice but to say "yes".
Funding Palestinians' 'birthright trips'
The booklet's texts – in German, English and Arabic – take the same line. While the English texts usually talk about "Israel", the Arabic texts discuss "Palestine" and compare its division to the division of Germany.
The harsh living conditions under the Communist dictatorship in East Germany are also compared to life in Israel. "The history of Palestine and Germany is similar," writes a student from Nazareth. "In both countries there was a need to fight for a better life."
"Memory, Responsibility and Future" is a joint fund of the German industry and government. It was established following international pressure which forced large German industrial companies to withdraw their refusal to compensate Jewish and non-Jewish forced laborers exploited during the war.
Since its establishment, the fund has transferred relatively small amounts of money to forced laborers who were still alive 60 years after the end of the war. The remaining funds have been allotted to "projects commemorating Nazi victims, maintaining human rights and understanding between nations."
This isn't the first time the German fund sponsors projects related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict rather than to the Nazi crimes. About two months ago, the fund financed a "birthright trip" to Israel for a group of Palestinian living in Germany.
The fund was unavailable for comment.
Topic: German Fund for Holocaust survivors used for pro muzzie Anti Jew Propaganda (Read 516 times)