German bishops compare Israel to the Nazis

[AvarAllahNoor]

A group of German bishops sparked controversy yesterday when they compared Israel's treatment of the Palestinians with the Nazis' maltreatment of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto.

The comments were made by the 27-strong German Bishops' Conference after its tour of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.


Children walk past the controversial Israeli barrier


Several of the bishops were upset by the Jerusalem Wall, the 30ft high concrete barrier illegally built by Israel to separate Palestinian suburbs from the rest of the city.

While crossing one of the checkpoints into East Jerusalem, Cardinal Joachim Meisner, Archbishop of Cologne, said he had been particularly incensed.

"This is something that is done to animals, not people," he said referring to the wall and heavily fortified checkpoints where Palestinians are subjected to intrusive questioning and demands for Israel-approved documentation.

The Archbishop was brought up in Communist-controlled East Germany.

"For me it is a nightmare. I didn't think I would see such a wall again in my life," he said.

"Just like they brought the Berlin Wall down, so too will this wall come down. It will not endure."

advertisement
The bishops visited Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, before heading to Ramallah, the de facto capital of the occupied West Bank.

"This morning we saw pictures of the Warsaw ghetto at Yad Vashem and this evening we are going to the Ramallah ghetto," Bishop Gregor Maria Franz Hanke said.

"It's enough to drive one mad. Israel has the right to exist, but this right cannot be realised in such a brutal manner."

The Israeli press described the Nazi comparisons as "divisive", but the bishops offered no apology.

Instead, Bishop Hanke said he planned to amend this year's Easter message to German churches to include the delegation's impressions and to demand a change to the situation.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...wbishops07.xml

[Muezzin]

This really belongs in World Affairs.

Also, people who reply have to play nice or this thread go locky-bye, 'kay?

[AvarAllahNoor]

Muezzin, why have you got Gajar picture?

[Muezzin]

Couldn't find any Alloo.

And that's probably as much 'comedy' this thread can take before people go crazy. :)

Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.

When you create an account, you can participate in the discussions and share your thoughts. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and make new friends.
Sign Up

[wilberhum]

Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto

Had it good compared to what was to come.

[north_malaysian]

why nobody saying those bishops of being "Anti-Semitic"?:rollseyes

[ManchesterFolk]

There Germans, they have every right to talk... :rollseyes

[north_malaysian]

There Germans, they have every right to talk... :rollseyes

:phew

[snakelegs]

why nobody saying those bishops of being "Anti-Semitic"?:rollseyes

it's not anti-semitic to criticize israel, and there is plenty to criticize.
still, something about a german comparing israel to nazis is just repulsive.

[Keltoi]

it's not anti-semitic to criticize israel, and there is plenty to criticize.
still, something about a german comparing israell to nazis is just repulsive.

I hoped I wasn't the only one who found that slightly strange.

[AvarAllahNoor]

We're all allowed to have opinions!

[Pygoscelis]

Yes, to criticize Israel is not to be anti-simetic. Israel has had a free pass in western society for FAR too long by crying victim re racism. Israel has done a lot of evil things and it is not a bad thing to call them on it.

[AvarAllahNoor]

Good and bad in all of us.

[snakelegs]

We're all allowed to have opinions!

of course!

[Sinner]

There are some notable differences between the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and the Palestinians. The Jews didn't engaged in acts of terrorism against the German population. They didn't have a Charter calling for the destruction of "the German entity" The Nazis did not engage in "land for peace" programs with the Jews, just to see increases of violence and greater demands from the Jewish population. There would be no checkpoints, house-checks, troops in the streets etc... if there was no Palestinian terrorist threat. There is no moral equivalence between the Nazis and the State of Israel.

[wilberhum]

There are some notable differences between the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and the Palestinians. The Jews didn't engaged in acts of terrorism against the German population. They didn't have a Charter calling for the destruction of "the German entity" The Nazis did not engage in "land for peace" programs with the Jews, just to see increases of violence and greater demands from the Jewish population. There would be no checkpoints, house-checks, troops in the streets...ect if there was no Palestinian terrorist threat. There is no moral equivalence between the Nazis and the State of Israel.

Kind of my thoughts.
Though.
Israel has committed many an atrocity. But the comparison is of little validity.

Dang, did I fall into that trap of looking at both sides?
:D
Calling a lake a pond is a distortion. :?