Greece: Leftist newspaper publishes cartoons demonizing Israel

efsyn.gr

Via Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece

Wednesday, 25 April 2018

Two sketches by Michalis Kountouris, with strong messages of demonisation of Israel and unacceptable parallelism with the Holocaust, were published in the “Efimerida Syntakton” (EFSYN. – “Editors’ Journal”) on 10th and 11th April 2018. The sketches were commented on with the following article entitled “Bloody Handprints” – published in the issue of the EFSYN of 16.4.18 – by the journalist and General Secretary of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, Victor Is. Eliezer.

The sketches also stirred a reaction from Israel’s Ambassador to Greece, Ms. Irit Ben-Abba (letter to the EFSYN 11/4/2018), and journalist Dimitris Psarras (through his article “We do not Forget the Holocaust” EFSYN  16/4/2018).

• Victor Is. Eliezer: “Bloody Handprints” EFIMERIDA SYNTAKTON  16/4/2018

Yom Hashoah. Holocaust Day, 11th April 2018. The Jews mourn for their 6,000,000 fellow Jews who were unjustly and brutally killed in the gas chambers of the Nazi camps! On the same day, in Greece, the “EFSYN”, known for its merciless struggle against anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism, hosted a sketch in which an Israeli soldier leaves the prints of his bloodied hands on the Wailing Wall, next to many other bloody handprints of other people who apparently prayed before him. You know, all the Jews have visited the Wailing Wall, many of us pray and touch the Wall that is what is left of the Temple of Solomon. The bloody handprints, according to the cartoonist, could be the bloody handprints of every Jew who has visited the Wailing Wall!  One day earlier, another sketch (by the same cartoonist) appeared in the newspaper, where the Gaza Strip was identified with a prisoner of Nazi concentration camps.

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The two face artists

The two face artists
by Jean Cohen

Cohen.gr Friday 8.9.2017

I read that well-known Israeli singer Jasmine Levy has invited Greek singer Yiannis Kotsiras for a series of three concerts in Israel on the 25^th 26^th and the 28^th of October this year. So far so good.

The wheels start coming off the wagon, when you realize that Kotsiras is not exactly what could be called pro-Israeli. On the contrary. Taking under consideration his behavior on the 25^th of November 2015 I would classify him as anti-Israeli.

At the time Mr Kotsiras along singer with Eleni Tsaligopoulou were invited to appear at a concert organized by the Israeli embassy in Greece along with Israeli singer Idan Raichel.

A few hours before the opening of the concert the two Greek artists canceled their appearance. Exactly why they canceled was never explained, officially at least, since no announcement was made by the two singers.

Yet, from various posts on anti-Israeli blogs and sites, one could arrive to one of two conclusions, either they canceled because they disapproved of the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza, or they canceled because a few days before Israeli singer Raichel complimented the IDF, an act considered by them an abomination!!!

But the subject of this article is not Kotsiras or Tsaligopoulou, not even their unprofessional conduct of canceling their appearance a few hour before the curtain went up. As a matter of fact, their conduct should concern any music hall that would want to hire them in the future.

My subject is the two face Greek artists.

They are all willing to perform in Israeli and see their bank accounts get bigger and bigger, but they are very unwilling to say anything good about Israel once they return. On the contrary, they are more than willing to participate in any anti-Israeli activity be that a rally, a performance, or a mass protest against the “murderous state” Somebody must remind them of the saying “you cannot serve two masters”

Then same behavior can be found, by other artists as well, to name a few. Mikis Theodorakis (composer of Zorba the Greek) play writer Jacob Kampanelis (writer of the Ballad of Mauthausen) who declared publicly that he will never allow his work to be performed in Israel, until of course a few years  later he heard the figure involved and agreed.

Not to mention Stelios Kazantzidis who appearing in a Greek court and latter also on TV said “only I and Arafat are fighting the Jews”

Should I remind you of George Dallaras that so angered the Israeli public by his standard appearance in so many anti-Israeli concerts that they started breaking his records in public.

In all fairness I must remind my readers that the darling of the Israeli public Greek singer Elpida was the only one that I know of, there might be others too, that every time she came back from a concert in Israel she had nothing but praises for the country. And let us not forget that the 80’s was the most dark and frightening decade for Greek Israeli relations.

I wonder all these two face artist, and I’m sure there are more, what do they think when they look themselves in the mirror in the morning. How do they rationalize this kind of behavior?

What does their conscience say? Who do they think they are playing for fools? The Israelis or the Palestinians? Most probably they are sure they played both sides for suckers, before taking a quick glimpse at their fat bank account.

I have much more respect for the genuine anti-Semitic and anti-Israelis that are fighting Israel, with no “buts, reservations, footnotes etc.” than these kind of artists that want to “have the cake and eat it too”

After all it is a matter of personal ethics and morality regardless of the amount of money.

Greek leftist columnist denounces antisemitism surveys and demonizes Israel (once again)

Via kis.gr

In an article published on the news site enikos.gr (May 10, 2017), entitled “In bloody ink”, journalist and cartoonist Stathis (Stavropoulos) denounces attempts to incriminate criticism against Israel that present it as anti-Semitism in order to annul such political criticism. The article is accompanied by a cartoon which pictures free opinion killed by Israel. The article and cartoon were Stathis response to the publication of a survey on Anti-Semitism in Greece which shows high rates of anti-Semitic feelings in Greece.

In a statement, the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece expressed the outrage of the Greek Jewry at Stathis’ antisemitic libel:

[…] And it is obvious for us that even the sharpest criticism against the policy of the Israeli Government has nothing to do with Anti-Semitism. However, when -according to a recent research, 65% of the Greeks agree with the opinion that “Israel treats the Palestinian exactly as the Nazis treated the Jews”, then all –politicians and journalists alike- need to take responsibility for reproducing the industrialized propaganda of delegitimization of the State of Israel.

“Traditional Anti-Semitism” defies and demonizes the personal right of every Jew to live as an equal member of the society. “New anti-Semitism” defies and demonizes the collective right of the Jews to live as an equal nation in the land of Israel, among the society of Nations.

Stathis’ writing and the accompanying cartoon qualify him as a genuine representative of both traditional and new anti-Semitism. It is a pity!

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Relevant:

• Ariel Sharon in Nazi uniform on the cover of a collection of cartoons (7/2016)
• Popular Unity Party signes up Israel-haters and conspiracy theorists (9/2015)

Ariel Sharon dressed like a Nazi with a swastika on his arm stating “Fascism is not only the logic of killing, but primarily killing logic” appears on the cover of Stathis Stavropoulos’ collection of cartoons “The anti-fascist, anti-racist [cartoons]” (Athens 2016).

Piraeus Metropolitan Seraphim Sued for Antisemitic Remarks

Metropolitan of Piraeus Seraphim (source: wikipedia)

The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece reports:

The Metropolitan Bishop of Piraeus Seraphim, repeated his fierce anti-Semitic rhetoric in his announcement of April 28, uploaded on the official website of the Archdiocese of Piraeus. This reaction was triggered after the Holy Synod overturned its initial decision to appoint Seraphim as the Greek Orthodox Church’s representative to the ceremony lighting the Holy Light of Easter (taking place  every year at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem during the Great Saturday). In Seraphim’s place, another Metropolitan, Athinagoras of Ilion, represented the Church in the ceremony.

As a response, in his long anti-Semitic libel announcement, Metropolitan Seraphim claimed that he was replaced because Israel declared him as persona non grata and accused Israel of interfering with the Church’s issues. He also specified that his views are not anti-Semitic but anti-Zionist and that Orthodox Christians stand against Zionism and especially against the wing of Zionism that seeks world domination. Seraphim also quoted the Old Testament and the New Testament, which he interprets through his anti-Semitic and Jew-Hating views, and accused all the other Christian doctrines of being in favor of Jews. He also quoted the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and referred to masonry (and other international organizations) as the arms used by Zionism to secure infiltration and state manipulation.

The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece issued the following announcement, protesting against this new anti-Semitic attack, while NGO Greek Helsinki Monitor filed a lawsuit against Seraphim for anti-Semitism.

Greece: Imam rejoices over the recent fires in Israel – he then apologizes

Via kis.gr

A Muslim religious figure of Xanthi, Imam Erkan Azizoglou (of the village of Glafki) posted on his facebook account (December 4, 2016) hate anti-Semitic comments. The Imam wished for the fires that burst out in Israel not to be put out!  In response to the reaction caused by his statement and the comments posted on line (asking not to make parallels between the State and the people who live in it) the Imam debated that “All the Israelis are the same. They are all as a monster that is fed on blood”. With these hate comments, totally inappropriate for a religious leader, Erkan Azizoglou threatens peaceful coexistence among Greek citizens regardless of religion in this sensitive region. The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece is always in alert to fight against anti-Semitic rhetoric expressed by any part.

Athens December 19, 2016

Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece

Related:

 – The apology of Imam Azizoglou on the website of the Racist Crimes Watch (Jan. 7.2017): On January 7, 2017, Imam Azizoglou posted an apology on the website of the Racist Crimes Watch (of the NGO Greek Helsinki Monitor). The Imam notified that he erased his comments from his facebook account and apologized to those offended. The comment also reads: “The legitimate condemnation of the Israeli policy towards the Palestinians should not include elements that offend the majority of the population of the country based on its ethnic and religious identity”.

Greek teacher told the class that Israelis are Nazis

Via The New Antisemite

The Israeli Ynet news site recently published an interview with Leon David who made Aliyah from Greece to Israel and is now serving in the IDF. Asked whether he experienced antisemitism in Greece he answers: “Of course. Many times I had to clean up neo-Nazi graffiti and deal with racist abuse.”

But the most memorable incident was when a teacher, who did not know he was Jewish, told the class that what Israel is doing to the Palestinians is just like what Hitler did to the Jews. He later approached the teacher and she apologized, but the incident encouraged him to come to Israel.

Anti-Israel banner at Democritus University

Members of Left Anti-capitalist Group (Aristeri Antikapitalistiki Syspirosi) have displayed at the entrance of the Law Faculty at Democritus University (Thrace, Northern Greece) a banner which suggests that Israel is commiting genocide against Palestinians, grassrootreuter blog has reported. It reads: “Not another Holocaust. Solidarity to the Palestinians.”

Photo credit: MotionTeam / Vassilis Ververidis, undated

The photo featuring the antisemitic banner has been published in the leftwing daily newspaper Efimerida ton Syntakton to illustrate an article about a discrimination issue at Democritus University.

Far-right Golden Dawn MP calls Israel ‘eternal enemy’ of Greeks

Golden Dawn MP Christos Pappas wearing a nazi fez (tn: actually this “fez” was part of the uniform of the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar) and a T-Shirt calling for “Uprising For An Independant Palestine.” Via I Can’t Relax In Greece & Abravanel, the Blog

 

Via The Times of Israel

Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos called on the Justice Ministry to take action against a neo-Nazi lawmaker after he made anti-Israel comments in parliament.

Speaking during a debate in parliament on Monday, Christos Pappas, from the Golden Dawn party, called Israel an “eternal enemy of Greece and Orthodoxy,” a reference to Greece’s official church.

[…]

Kammenos has himself in the past been criticized for anti-Semitic comments, after claiming in 2014 that Greek Jews paid fewer taxes than other Greeks, but since taking up the position of defense minister has overseen increasingly warm ties with Israel.

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• The leader of the right-wing Independent Greeks Party, Panos Kammenos, is not the only Greek politician who has been accused of disseminating antisemitic rumors or trivializing the Holocaust. To mention but two examples: Dimitris Kammenos of the Independent Greeks Party was forced to resign after receiving ministerial post in September 2015 over an outcry about a series of anti-Semitic and homophobic tweets. Panagiotis Sgouridis, another Independent Greeks MP, abused the memory of the Holocaust in June 2015 by mentioning Gaza during a speech about the murdered Jews of Kavala and saying that “victims become bullies.”
• Syriza Party has called Israel’s Operation Protective Edge against Hamas in Gaza two years ago “a crime against humanity”. Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled met with Dimitris Papadimoulis, Syriza MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament, in its headquarters in Brussels in February 2016. Syriza, a left-wing party that despite its past support for the Palestinians has sought to strengthen ties with Israel, has called Khaled in a statement issued after the meeting an “activist with a historical role in the Palestinian Resistance.”

Activist helping refugees blamed to be a spy working to destabilize Europe

Achilles Peklaris working in the Kibbutz Yotvata (Israel, June 2013). Photo by Maayan Ben-Yosef. Source: exodus2013.blogspot.com

Via Get The Trolls Out!

Greek pro-Nazi Hellenic National Socialist Found blog has reposted an article from the popular news website Zougla.gr claiming that Achilles M. Peklaris, a well-known activist supporting and helping refugees in Greece, is an agent trained by Mossad, the Israeli secret services, to destabilize Europe by encouraging the arrival of refugees. Zougla.gr has meanwhile removed the article.

An antisemitic statement from the article:

Achilles M. Peklaris is “coordinating”, even to the farthest end of Greece, the “mobilization” of “Islamists” whom right-wing idiots treat as “red rags” ignoring the “matador” who is behind them and on whose arm there is the “passport” of Mossad!

Read more.

Vice-President of the EU Parliament and Syriza MEP meets with Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled

Papadimoulis with Khaled on February 10, 2016 (Photo via http://syriza.eu/images/PAPADHMOULIS/PapadimoulisHaled.jpg). Khaled poses in scarf with the PFLP logo: Inside a red circle, a black arrow points from a white semi-circle to a map of Israel and the territories. Below the arrow, on the right side, is a green dot. The arrow symbolizes the return of Palestinian refugees. Red symbolizes the group’s Marxist-Leninist heritage. Description via http://archive.adl.org/terrorism/symbols/popular_front_pa1.html

Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled met with Dimitris Papadimoulis, Syriza MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament, in its headquarters in Brussels on February 10, 2016. Leila Khaled was accompanied by a PFLP delegation. Syriza, a left-wing party that despite its past support for the Palestinians has sought to strengthen ties with the Jewish state, has called Khaled in a statement issued after the meeting an “activist with a historical role in the Palestinian Resistance.”

Khaled is member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist and nationalist organization founded in 1967. PFLP is considered as a terrorist organization by the Council of the European Union, since its members have carried out numerous hijackings, assassinations, bombings and paramilitary operations against civilian and military targets in Israel. Khaled herself has been involved twice in airline hijackings and is an active supporter of the BDS movement.

One can therefore raise the question over the legitimacy of the visit of the PFLP delegation at the EU Parliament. How can it be that the delegation of a terror group obtained the right to enter the EU Parliament and meet with its Vice-President? Does Syriza seek to compensate the ongoing cooperation between Greece and Israel with an implicit tolerance of Palestinian radicalism?

After her visit to the EU Parliament in February, Leila Khaled has launched a tour of Germany, Sweden and Austria, meeting with Palestinian communities and supporters of the Palestinian cause. In Wuppertal, Germany, she spoke in a Greek restaurant together with a speaker who has justified terror attacks against Jews in Israel. During an event in Vienna, Austria, she accused Israel of being responsible for “a Holocaust” against the Palestinians and justified the ongoing knife attacks on Israeli citizens.