Israel takes survivors of Holocaust for granted
copyleft | 06.08.2008 10:57 | Anti-racism | History | Social Struggles
In relation to the the governmental investigative commission in the matter of assistance to Holocaust survivors, the Dorner Commission concluded that the allocations given to the survivors must be linked to 75% of the allowance paid by Germany to Israel for each survivor. however, the Israeli government has decided to postpone discussion of these recommendations to 2009 means delaying implementation by one year, which means disinheriting thousands more survivors from what they deserve, as time acts to the detriment of the survivors, almost all of whom have reached an advanced age.
Israeli Disgrace and Thievery
Written by Michael Warschawski, Alternative Information Center (AIC)
Monday, 04 August 2008
Ref:
http://www.alternativenews.org/blogs/michael-warschawski/israeli-disgrace-and-thievery-20080804.html
Yet again Judge Dorner, chairperson of the governmental investigative commission in the matter of assistance to Holocaust survivors, and the Israeli Prime Minister are located on two sides of the ethical divide. While the Dorner Commission concluded that the allocations given to the survivors must be linked to 75% of the allowance paid by Germany to Israel for each survivor, and that this recommendation should be implemented immediately, the Prime Minister is trying, yet again, to buy time. The disagreement over time is much more important than that over the amount, as time acts to the detriment of the survivors, almost all of whom have reached an advanced age.
Each day that passes decreases the financial debt of Israel to the Holocaust survivors. The government’s decision to postpone discussion of these recommendations to 2009 means delaying implementation by one year, which means disinheriting thousands more survivors from what they deserve, and already today not so many survivors remain. This is not only daylight robbery, but also crass desecration of the memory of the Holocaust and its victims. The State of Israel exists thanks to the Holocaust of European Jewry, and in two ways: firstly, without the destruction of European Jewry and the existence of hundreds of thousands of survivors-refugees whom no state wanted, it is doubtful whether the international community would have given its support to the establishment of Israel, at a time when the world was beginning a process of decolonialisation. Secondly, a majority of the payments were given by Germany to Israel and not to the survivors and families of the victims. Under pressure of the international Jewish committee and the Zionist Histadrut, Germany decided to compensate the Jews collectively, through the State of Israel which presented itself, with absolutely no justification, as the representative body of world Jewry throughout the ages! The initial infrastructure of Israel was built thanks to the hundreds of millions of dollars paid by West Germany in compensation for the Holocaust of European Jewry.
It must be noted that in transforming Israel into the representative of the destroyed communities in Europe there is much bad taste, to say the least. As is known, the Zionist leadership did not overextend itself to attempt and save European Jewry, neither prior to nor during the war, even if it is correct to note that its abilities were limited. Even on the level of empathy toward the victims and survivors, Israel does not receive a good mark – again also to say the least. “The Seventh Million” of Tom Segev brings endless testimonies which document the lack of sensitivity of the Zionist leadership toward the victims of the Holocaust.
So much for history. However, the behaviour back then pales in comparison to that of the current leaders. Their delayed responses to the recommendations of the Dorner Commission transform them into grave robbers, as simple as that. Stealing from those who have nothing, in the light of day and with absolutely no compunction. If not empathy and a sense of honour, then at least the debt owed by Israel to the Holocaust survivors obligates it and its leaders to guarantee them a respectable and comfortable old age. However, this is not the case! In Israel, thousands of survivors subsist on the edge of hunger and endure living conditions difficult to describe.
It is easy to imagine what would happen if one state in the world would treat the Jewish Holocaust survivors with a tenth of the cynicism that Israel demonstrates toward them: Israel and its mouthpieces in the Western press would initiate a huge international campaign against the anti-Semitic state that desecrates the Holocaust victims. However, what is forbidden for Holland, France and of course Germany, is permissible for the state of the Jews. And if this is the way in which the heads of state act toward their survivor relatives, flesh of their flesh, the remainder of European Jewry, how can it be expected that they will demonstrate empathy and justice toward the local Palestinian population?
The violation of Palestinian rights is of course a result of the Zionist enterprise. The treatment of a few thousand elderly Jewish survivors puts the cruelty toward the Palestinians in another light: the Zjonist leaders are evil, close hearted and unfeeling.
And on a more personal note: Two decades ago, Judge Dorner sat on the bench that sentenced me to prison, and she even suggested increasing the sentence imposed on me by the other judges. In light of the holy work she has done for the rights of the Holocaust survivors, and her unwavering stance against the grave robbing government, I forgive her from the bottom of my heart.
Written by Michael Warschawski, Alternative Information Center (AIC)
Monday, 04 August 2008
Ref:
http://www.alternativenews.org/blogs/michael-warschawski/israeli-disgrace-and-thievery-20080804.html Yet again Judge Dorner, chairperson of the governmental investigative commission in the matter of assistance to Holocaust survivors, and the Israeli Prime Minister are located on two sides of the ethical divide. While the Dorner Commission concluded that the allocations given to the survivors must be linked to 75% of the allowance paid by Germany to Israel for each survivor, and that this recommendation should be implemented immediately, the Prime Minister is trying, yet again, to buy time. The disagreement over time is much more important than that over the amount, as time acts to the detriment of the survivors, almost all of whom have reached an advanced age.
Each day that passes decreases the financial debt of Israel to the Holocaust survivors. The government’s decision to postpone discussion of these recommendations to 2009 means delaying implementation by one year, which means disinheriting thousands more survivors from what they deserve, and already today not so many survivors remain. This is not only daylight robbery, but also crass desecration of the memory of the Holocaust and its victims. The State of Israel exists thanks to the Holocaust of European Jewry, and in two ways: firstly, without the destruction of European Jewry and the existence of hundreds of thousands of survivors-refugees whom no state wanted, it is doubtful whether the international community would have given its support to the establishment of Israel, at a time when the world was beginning a process of decolonialisation. Secondly, a majority of the payments were given by Germany to Israel and not to the survivors and families of the victims. Under pressure of the international Jewish committee and the Zionist Histadrut, Germany decided to compensate the Jews collectively, through the State of Israel which presented itself, with absolutely no justification, as the representative body of world Jewry throughout the ages! The initial infrastructure of Israel was built thanks to the hundreds of millions of dollars paid by West Germany in compensation for the Holocaust of European Jewry.
It must be noted that in transforming Israel into the representative of the destroyed communities in Europe there is much bad taste, to say the least. As is known, the Zionist leadership did not overextend itself to attempt and save European Jewry, neither prior to nor during the war, even if it is correct to note that its abilities were limited. Even on the level of empathy toward the victims and survivors, Israel does not receive a good mark – again also to say the least. “The Seventh Million” of Tom Segev brings endless testimonies which document the lack of sensitivity of the Zionist leadership toward the victims of the Holocaust.
So much for history. However, the behaviour back then pales in comparison to that of the current leaders. Their delayed responses to the recommendations of the Dorner Commission transform them into grave robbers, as simple as that. Stealing from those who have nothing, in the light of day and with absolutely no compunction. If not empathy and a sense of honour, then at least the debt owed by Israel to the Holocaust survivors obligates it and its leaders to guarantee them a respectable and comfortable old age. However, this is not the case! In Israel, thousands of survivors subsist on the edge of hunger and endure living conditions difficult to describe.
It is easy to imagine what would happen if one state in the world would treat the Jewish Holocaust survivors with a tenth of the cynicism that Israel demonstrates toward them: Israel and its mouthpieces in the Western press would initiate a huge international campaign against the anti-Semitic state that desecrates the Holocaust victims. However, what is forbidden for Holland, France and of course Germany, is permissible for the state of the Jews. And if this is the way in which the heads of state act toward their survivor relatives, flesh of their flesh, the remainder of European Jewry, how can it be expected that they will demonstrate empathy and justice toward the local Palestinian population?
The violation of Palestinian rights is of course a result of the Zionist enterprise. The treatment of a few thousand elderly Jewish survivors puts the cruelty toward the Palestinians in another light: the Zjonist leaders are evil, close hearted and unfeeling.
And on a more personal note: Two decades ago, Judge Dorner sat on the bench that sentenced me to prison, and she even suggested increasing the sentence imposed on me by the other judges. In light of the holy work she has done for the rights of the Holocaust survivors, and her unwavering stance against the grave robbing government, I forgive her from the bottom of my heart.
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