It's democracy or apartheid - important to maintain pressure on Israel

As Israeli voters head to the election booths on Tuesday to pick their country’s 20th Knesset, Israeli society is at a crossroads—democracy or apartheid. The shadows of ethnonationalism and settlement politics darken the future outlook. Continued Right-wing rule with Benjamin Netanyahu at the helm could lead to the definitive demise of an already wounded Israeli democracy and to the consolidation of a power relation between Israelis and Palestinians which left-leaning liberals in Israel are increasingly inclined to openly dub apartheid. Meanwhile, optimists might point to signs of hope in the form of an anticipated setback for the most aggressive right-wing nationalist parties. Another sign of hope is the new Joint List—consisting of the Hadash Party, a group of small Arab parties and non-Zionist Jews—that seems headed to become the third largest party in the country.

Netnyahu’s six years in power have been devastating—primarily for the Palestinians in Gaza who have been subjected to repeated bombing raids and a continuous siege. But the people in the West Bank have also suffered land losses from ever expanding Israeli settlements. Furthermore, Netanyahu’s politics has damaged Israel’s own people. Many of the most urgent problems in Israeli society have deepened: continued substantial economic inequality, growing child poverty and a deepening housing crisis. Last but not least, Netanyahu’s unmitigated right-wing nationalism—supported by openly racist and ultraconservative parties—has brought Israel to its worst diplomatic position in many, many years. Relations with its strategic partner, The United States, have probably never been more strained, and several European parliaments have followed Sweden’s lead in recognizing the State of Palestine. In addition, Jewish communities and organizations around the globe are finding it increasingly difficult to support the Israeli Right-wing government’s ultranationalism and—in many cases—open racism. Israel’s isolation in the international arena is contributing to causing Netanyahu and the Likud to apparently be facing a disappointing election outcome. That can, and should, be viewed as a victory for all of us who in different ways have pressured the Israeli state to respect UN resolutions and international law.

But even if Netanyahu might lose power, there is every reason to suspend any celebration. The probable government parties in a more moderate constellation are all in favor of the broad strokes of Israel’s current politics vis-à-vis the Palestinians and its neighboring countries. Creating a functional coalition may prove a challenging equation, with many mid-sized parties that all represent a patchwork of positions on various left-right political spectrums: the peace process, economic distribution and the role of religion in society. For those of us who dream of a future with equal rights and responsibilities, individual as well as national, for all people living between the river and the sea, we still have a long way to go. That is why it’s crucial that the rest of the world refrains from allowing itself to be lulled by a more “appropriate” phraseology within diplomatic circles. We have to continue to pressure the next Israeli government—regardless of political denomination and parliamentary backing—by making it abundantly clear that if Israel continues to violate international law, we, Israel’s true friends and the international community, will have no choice but to apply the same political modes of pressure on Israel, such as BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), that was used to get the South African government to dismantle its apartheid system. That is the best support we can offer to those groups in Israel and Palestine that continue—albeit in the face of powerful resistance—their work for human rights and democracy for all.

(Traslated from Swedish by Christopher Pastorella)

Tyvärr ett SR beslut som inte gynnar kampen mot antisemitismen

Till alla er som tror att jag ska vara med i denna debatt. Ja, jag VAR inbjuden att delta i denna direktsända P1 Debatt från Kulturhuset i Stockholm om antisemitism och islamofobi nu på söndag (15/3). Jag såg mycket fram emot det. Jag var också "särskilt önskad" av programledaren enligt en av producenterna och det "vore underbart om du vill delta" stod i mailet. Tre dagar innan får jag veta av producenten Marie-Jeanette Löfgren att jag inte längre är önskad men att jag är "välkommen att vara publik på första raden" och "du kan vara med på websendningen efteråt". Jo, jag tackar jag! Sveriges Radio! Vad hände? Varför denna plötsliga och sena helomvändning? Det är svårt att veta men en sak är i alla fall uppenbar, en "annan judisk röst" och perspektiv till dessa ämnen vill man inte ha och nu finns risken att SR genom sitt val av debattdeltagare bidrar till att cementera uppfattningen att alla judar tycker likadant. Tyvärr något som inte gynnar kampen mot antisemitismen.
(Se: http://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/514572?programid=4645)

EJJP statement concerning the killings in Paris and Copenhagen

 - we are appalled by the recent events in France and Denmark and express solidarity with Jews, Muslims and all those who are under threat and who have protested against them.

- as Jewish groups we reiterate that we see ourselves as part of the societies where we live and reject the call from Prime Minister Netanyahu and others for Jews to emigrate to Israel.

- we consider that Netanyahu's self-serving motives undermine the links of solidarity that targeted minorities need to make with each other to resist racism and strengthen diversity in our societies. Netanyahu's utterances damage work to challenge racism and fascism in Europe.

- we reject the government of Israel's claim to speak on behalf of Jews everywhere. The policies of Israel, as most recently seen in Gaza, fuel anti-Semitism.

- we reiterate our support for a just peace based on international law and equal rights and express our support for those in Palestine and Israel fighting for this.

Brussels 21/2-2015

Idag är det 70 år sen befrielsen av förintelselägret Auschwitz

Idag är det 70 år sen befrielsen av förintelselägret Auschwitz och jag tänker på min fars och mors släktingar som mördades där. Idag tänker jag på att det värdigaste sättet vi kan hedra offren på är genom att fortsätta bekämpa de ideologier och fördomar som gjorde förintelsen möjlig, och som aldrig nått den fasansfulla omfattningen utan det stora flertalets likgiltighet och passivitet. Så idag bör vi tala om det som hände men också om det som händer idag: att det tredje största partiet i Sveriges riksdag är ett parti med rötter i nazistisk ideologi; att det idag sker en normalisering av rasism och främlingsfientlighet i Europa; att det idag sker antisemitiska attacker på judar; att europeiska muslimer attackeras och förnedras dagligen; att Ungern idag regeras av rasister/fascister. Därför måste vi åter igen påminna om och försäkra oss om att ingen människa diskrimineras/döms/bedöms på grund av hudfärg, religion, nationalitet eller sexuell läggning. Därför bör vi vårda och bruka minnets verktyg, inte bara i tankarna, utan också i handlingarna. Då sviker vi inte offren, oss själva, och allt det pågående livet här och nu. Och i framtiden.

Israel's upside-down world

Israeli diplomats in Sweden have distinguished themselves in different ways through the years—some as art vandals at museums (Zvi Mazel), and others as Islamophobic racists in social media (Isaac Bachman). But not so often as diplomats. Recently (see attached screen dumps from 12/1/2015), Israel’s ambassador to Sweden posted a racist, Islamophobic statement on Fcebook (removed on 14 January, 2015). And now, he is trying to teach Swedish politicians the meaning of diplomacy, consensus and cooperation, in an op-ed published on Swedish public television’s Website. Because that’s what diplomats do in an upside-down world. When an emissary for a government that is doing everything in its powers to prevent the establishment of a vigorous Palestinian state tries to teach us Swedes the meaning of a moral stance and balance, the world is upside down. Continuous illegal settlements—now housing 550,000 Israeli settlers in the heart of what was supposed to be become a Palestinian state—send a clear message; meanwhile, the sweet promises of cooperation, peace and reconciliation send a totally different one. In an upside-down world, the ”diplomat” in question writes: ”If any party in this conflict should be strengthened politically, it is Israel”, while Irael continues down its 48-year course of confiscating Palestinian territory in Jerusalem and the West Bank, demolishing thousands of Palestinian homes and continued ”protection” of criminal settlers in the West Bank. Installing degrading checkpoints that shatter the Palestinian economy, and running Palestinians off their land. Meanwhile, extrajudicial executions, imprisonment of Palestinians members of parliament and government, bombardment of administrative buildings and infrastructure projects and the massacre of thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza all continue. And despite all of the above, Israel has escaped any repercussions from the international community. It is an upside-down world when a “diplomat” speaks in Israel’s name about the need to respect the international community and its written and unwritten laws, while it violates countless UN resolutions, Geneva conventions and international law by, for example, annexing East Jerusalem and by attacking boats on international waters that are headed for the illegally besieged Gaza, with dead and wounded as a result. Should we be at peace with this? Should we pretend not to see the glaring discrepancy between facts on the ground and what, at best, amounts to sweet nothings? The signals that Sweden and other countries are sending could have a decisive impact on the prospects for peace. One country after another is now holding parliamentary elections to recognize Palestine. One country after another is taking measures to live up to the EU’s decision to not offer financial support to illegal Israeli settlements. One country after another is requiring certification of origin on its goods. Some, among them Germany, have reviewed their trade agreements to ensure that their collaboration does not include the settlements. And Sweden can do more than lead the way for recognition of Palestine. For example, we could review our public- and private-sector cooperations with Israel, in order to t ensure that Sweden and Swedish businesses do not support (knowingly or not) to the crimes of the Israeli occupation. That would send a decisive message to Israel: no state and no people shall be left to their fate, in Israel or in Palestine, whose fates are closely linked. And no state, democratic or not, will get away with violating international law. An answer to the Israeli Ambassador to Sweden (Translated from Swedish by Chris Pastorella) Original article in Swedish: http://www.svt.se/opinion/israels-uppochnervanda-varld

225 Jewish survivors and descendents of Jewish survivors of the Nazi genocide condems Israel’s massacre on Gaza

225 Jewish survivors and descendents of Jewish survivors of the Nazi genocide have signed on to this letter condemning Israel’s massacre on Gaza and calling for an end to the genocide of the Palestinian people. In the letter, they also speak out against the abuse of their histories to promote the dehumanization of Palestinians advanced by Elie Wiesel among others in his recent ads placed in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and the Guardian. If you are a survivor of the genocide or a descendent of survivors, please click here and scroll to the bottom to add your name to the letter. Please donate to help us place this letter with its signatories as an advertisement in the New York Times in order to convey the message that never again means NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE! Jewish survivors and descendents of survivors of Nazi genocide unequivocally condemn the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza As Jewish survivors and descendents of survivors of the Nazi genocide we unequivocally condemn the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza and the ongoing occupation and colonization of historic Palestine. We further condemn the United States for providing Israel with the funding to carry out the attack, and Western states more generally for using their diplomatic muscle to protect Israel from condemnation. Genocide begins with the silence of the world. We are alarmed by the extreme, racist dehumanization of Palestinians in Israeli society, which has reached a fever-pitch. In Israel, politicians and pundits in The Times of Israel and The Jerusalem Post have called openly for genocide of Palestinians and right-wing Israelis are adopting Neo-Nazi insignia. Furthermore, we are disgusted and outraged by Elie Wiesel’s abuse of our history in these pages to promote blatant falsehoods used to justify the unjustifiable: Israel’s wholesale effort to destroy Gaza and the murder of nearly 2,000 Palestinians, including many hundreds of children. Nothing can justify bombing UN shelters, homes, hospitals and universities. Nothing can justify depriving people of electricity and water. We must raise our collective voices and use our collective power to bring about an end to all forms of racism, including the ongoing genocide of Palestinian people. We call for an immediate end to the siege against and blockade of Gaza. We call for the full economic, cultural and academic boycott of Israel. “Never again” must mean NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE! Signed, Survivors Hajo Meyer, survivor of Auschwitz, The Netherlands. Henri Wajnblum, survivor and son of victim of Nazi genocide, Belgium. Renate Bridenthal, child refugee from Hitler, granddaughter of Auschwitz victim, United States. Marianka Ehrlich Ross, survivor of Nazi ethnic cleansing in Vienna, Austria. Now lives in United States. Annette Herskovits, survived in hiding in France and daughter of parents who were murdered in Auschwitz, United States. Irena Klepfisz, child survivor from the Warsaw Ghetto, Poland. Now lives in United States. Karen Pomer, granddaughter of member of Dutch resistance and survivor of Bergen Belsen. Now lives in the United States. Hedy Epstein, her parents & other family members were deported to Camp de Gurs & subsequently all perished in Auschwitz. Now lives in United States. Lillian Rosengarten, survivor of the Nazi Holocaust, United States. Suzanne Weiss, survived in hiding in France, and daughter of a mother who was murdered in Auschwitz. Now lives in Canada. H. Richard Leuchtag, survivor, United States. Ervin Somogyi, survivor and daughter of survivors, United States. Ilse Hadda, survivor on Kindertransport to England. Now lives in United States. Jacques Glaser, survivor, France. Norbert Hirschhorn, refugee of Nazi genocide and grandson of three grandparents who died in the Shoah, London. Eva Naylor, surivor, New Zealand. Suzanne Ross, child refugee from Nazi occupation in Belgium, two thirds of family perished in the Lodz Ghetto, in Auschwitz, and other Camps, United States. Bernard Swierszcz, Polish survivor, lost relatives in Majdanek concentration camp. Now lives in the United States. Joseph Klinkov, hidden child in Poland, still lives in Poland. Nicole Milner, survivor from Belgium. Now lives in United States. Hedi Saraf, child survivor and daughter of survivor of Dachau, United States. Barbara Roose, survivor from Germany, half-sister killed in Auschwitz, United States. Sonia Herzbrun, survivor of Nazi genocide, France. Ivan Huber, survivor with my parents, but 3 of 4 grandparents murdered, United States. Altman Janina, survivor of Janowski concentration camp, Lvov. Lives in Israel. Leibu Strul Zalman, survivor from Vaslui Romania. Lives in Jerusalem, Palestine. Miriam Almeleh, survivor, United States. George Bartenieff, child survivor from Germany and son of survivors, United States. Margarete Liebstaedter, survivor, hidden by Christian people in Holland. Lives in Belgium. Edith Bell, survivor of Westerbork, Theresienstadt, Auschwitz and Kurzbach. Lives in United States. Janine Euvrard, survivor, France. Harry Halbreich, survivor, German. Children of survivors Liliana Kaczerginski, daughter of Vilna ghetto resistance fighter and granddaughter of murdered in Ponary woods, Lithuania. Now lives in France. Jean-Claude Meyer, son of Marcel, shot as a hostage by the Nazis, whose sister and parents died in Auschwitz. Now lives in France. Chava Finkler, daughter of survivor of Starachovice labour camp, Poland. Now lives in Canada. Micah Bazant, child of a survivor of the Nazi genocide, United States. Sylvia Schwartz, daughter and granddaughter of survivors of the Nazi genocide, United States. Margot Goldstein, daughter and granddaughter of survivors of the Nazi genocide, United States. Ellen Schwarz Wasfi, daughter of survivors from Vienna, Austria. Now lives in United States. Lisa Kosowski, daughter of survivor and granddaughter of Auschwitz victims, United States. Daniel Strum, son of a refugee from Vienna, who, with his parents were forced to flee in 1939, his maternal grand-parents were lost, United States. Bruce Ballin, son of survivors, some relatives of parents died in camps, one relative beheaded for being in the Baum Resistance Group, United States. Rachel Duell, daughter of survivors from Germany and Poland, United States. Tom Mayer, son of survivor and grandson of victims, United States. Alex Nissen, daughter of survivors who escaped but lost family in the Holocaust, United States. Mark Aleshnick, son of survivor who lost most of her family in Nazi genocide, United States. Prof. Haim Bresheeth, son of two survivors of Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen, London. Todd Michael Edelman, son and grandson of survivors and great-grandson of victims of the Nazi genocide in Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, United States. Tim Naylor, son of survivor, New Zealand. Victor Nepomnyashchy, son and grandson of survivors and grandson and relative of many victims, United States. Tanya Ury, daughter of parents who fled Nazi Germany, granddaughter, great granddaugher and niece of survivors and those who died in concentration camps, Germany. Rachel Giora, daughter of Polish Jews who fled Poland, Israel. Jane Hirschmann, daughter of survivors, United States. Jenny Heinz, daughter of survivor, United States. Jaap Hamburger, son of survivors and grandchild of 4 grandparents murdered in Auschwitz, The Netherlands. Elsa Auerbach, daughter of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, United States. Beth Bruch, grandchild of German Jews who fled to US and great-grandchild of Nazi holocaust survivor, United States. Julian Clegg, son and grandson of Austrian refugees, relative of Austrian and Hungarian concentration camp victims, Taiwan. David Mizner, son of a survivor, relative of people who died in the Holocaust, United States. Jeffrey J. Westcott, son and grandson of Holocaust survivors from Germany, United States. Susan K. Jacoby, daughter of parents who were refugees from Nazi Germany, granddaughter of survivor of Buchenwald, United States. Audrey Bomse, daughter of a survivor of Nazi ethnic cleansing in Vienna, lives in United States. Daniel Gottschalk, son and grandson of refugees from the Holocaust, relative to various family members who died in the Holocaust, United States. Ken Schneider, son of refugees from Vienna who lost many family members, United States. Barbara Grossman, daughter of survivors, granddaughter of Holocaust victims, United States. Abraham Weizfeld PhD, son of survivorswho escaped Warsaw (Jewish Bundist) and Lublin ghettos, Canada. David Rohrlich, son of refugees from Vienna, grandson of victim, United States. Walter Ballin, son of holocaust survivors, United States. Fritzi Ross, daughter of survivor, granddaughter of Dachau survivor Hugo Rosenbaum, great-granddaughter and great-niece of victims, United States. Reuben Roth, son of survivors who fled from Poland in 1939, Canada. Tony Iltis, father fled from Czechoslovakia and grandmother murdered in Auschwitz, Australia. Anne Hudes, daughter and granddaughter of survivors from Vienna, Austria, great-granddaughter of victims who perished in Auschwitz, United States. Mateo Nube, son of survivor from Berlin, Germany. Lives in United States. John Mifsud, son of survivors from Malta, United States. Mike Okrent, son of two holocaust / concentration camp survivors, United States. Susan Bailey, daughter of survivor and niece of victims, UK. Brenda Lewis, child of Kindertransport survivor, parent’s family died in Auschwitz and Terezin. Lives in Canada. Patricia Rincon-Mautner, daughter of survivor and granddaughter of survivor, Colombia. Barak Michèle, daughter and grand-daughter of a survivor, many members of family were killed in Auschwitz or Bessarabia. Lives in Germany. Jessica Blatt, daughter of child refugee survivor, both grandparents’ entire families killed in Poland. Lives in United States Maia Ettinger, daughter & granddaughter of survivors, United States. Ammiel Alcalay, child of survivors from then Yugoslavia. Lives in United States. Julie Deborah Kosowski, daughter of hidden child survivor, grandparents did not return from Auschwitz, United States. Julia Shpirt, daughter of survivor, United States. Ruben Rosenberg Colorni, grandson and son of survivors, The Netherlands. Victor Ginsburgh, son of survivors, Belgium. Arianne Sved, daughter of a survivor and granddaughter of victim, Spain. Rolf Verleger, son of survivors, father survived Auschwitz, mother survived deportation from Berlin to Estonia, other family did not survive. Lives in Germany. Euvrard Janine, daughter of survivors, France. H. Fleishon, daughter of survivors, United States. Barbara Meyer, daughter of survivor in Polish concentration camps. Lives in Italy. Susan Heuman, child of survivors and granddaughter of two grandparents murdered in a forest in Minsk. Lives in United States. Rami Heled, son of survivors, all grandparents and family killed by the Germans in Treblinka, Oswiecim and Russia. Lives in Israel. Eitan Altman, son of survivor, France. Jorge Sved, son of survivor and grandson of victim, United Kingdom Maria Kruczkowska, daughter of Lea Horowicz who survived the holocaust in Poland. Lives in Poland. Sarah Lanzman, daughter of survivor of Auschwitz, United States. Cheryl W, daughter, granddaughter and nieces of survivors, grandfather was a member of the Dutch Underground (Eindhoven). Lives in Australia. Chris Holmquist, son of survivor, UK. Beverly Stuart, daughter and granddaughter of survivors from Romania and Poland. Lives in United States. Peter Truskier, son and grandson of survivors, United States. Karen Bermann, daughter of a child refugee from Vienna. Lives in United States. Rebecca Weston, daughter and granddaughter of survivor, Spain. Lyn Bender, daughter, granddaughter & niece of survivors, Australia. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of survivors Raphael Cohen, grandson of Jewish survivors of the Nazi genocide, United States. Emma Rubin, granddaughter of a survivor of the Nazi genocide, United States. Alex Safron, grandson of a survivor of the Nazi genocide, United States. Danielle Feris, grandchild of a Polish grandmother whose whole family died in the Nazi Holocaust, United States. Jesse Strauss, grandson of Polish survivors of the Nazi genocide, United States. Anna Baltzer, granddaughter of survivors of Nazi genocide whose family members perished in Auschwitz (also grand-niece of members of the Belgian Resistance), United States. Abigail Harms, granddaughter of Holocaust survivor from Austria, Now lives in United States. Tessa Strauss, granddaughter of Polish Jewish survivors of the Nazi genocide, United States. Caroline Picker, granddaughter of survivors of the Nazi genocide, United States. Amalle Dublon, grandchild and great-grandchild of survivors of the Nazi holocaust, United States. Antonie Kaufmann Churg, 3rd cousin of Ann Frank and grand-daughter of survivors, United States. Aliza Shvarts, granddaughter of survivors, United States. Linda Mamoun, granddaughter of survivors, United States. Abby Okrent, granddaughter of survivors of Auschwitz, Stuthoff and the Lodz Ghetto, United States. Ted Auerbach, grandson of survivor whose whole family died in the Holocaust, United States. Bob Wilson, grandson of a survivor, United States. Katharine Wallerstein, granddaughter of survivors and relative of many who perished, United States. Sylvia Finzi, granddaughter and niece of Holocaust victims murdered in Auschwitz, London and Berlin. Esteban Schmelz, grandson of KZ-Theresienstadt victim, Mexico City. Françoise Basch, grand daughter of Victor and Ilona Basch murdered by the Gestapo and the French Milice, France. Gabriel Alkon, grandson of Holocaust survivors, Untied States. Nirit Ben-Ari, grandchild of Polish grandparents from both sides whose entire family was killed in the Nazi Holocaust, United States. Heike Schotten, granddaughter of refugees from Nazi Germany who escaped the genocide, United States. Ike af Carlstèn, grandson of survivor, Norway. Elias Lazarus, grandson of Holocaust refugees from Dresden, United States and Australia. Laura Mandelberg, granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, United States. Josh Ruebner, grandson of Nazi Holocaust survivors, United States. Shirley Feldman, granddaughter of survivors, United States. Nuno Cesar Ferreira, grandson of survivor, Brazil. Andrea Land, granddaugher of survivors who fled programs in Poland, all European relatives died in German and Polish concentration camps, United States. Sarah Goldman, granddaughter of survivors of the Nazi genocide, United States. Baruch Wolski, grandson of survivors, Austria. Frank Amahran, grandson of survivor, United States. Eve Spangler, granddaughter of Holocaust NON-survivor, United States. Gil Medovoy, grandchild of Fela Hornstein who lost her enitre family in Poland during the Nazi genocide, United States. Michael Hoffman, grandson of survivors, rest of family killed in Poland during Holocaust, live in El Salvador. Sarah Hogarth, granddaughter of a survivor whose entire family was killed at Auschwitz, United States. Natalie Rothman, great granddaughter of Holocaust victims in Warsaw. Now lives in Canada. Yotam Amit, great-grandson of Polish Jew who fled Poland, United States. Daniel Boyarin, great grandson of victims of the Nazi genocide, United States. Maria Luban, great-granddaughter of survivors of the Holocaust, United States. Tibby Brooks, granddaughter, niece, and cousin of victims of Nazis in Ukraine. Lives in United States. Dan Berger, grandson of survivor, United States. Dani Baurer, granddaughter of Baruch Pollack, survivor of Auschwitz. Lives in United States. Talia Baurer, granddaughter of a survivor, United States. Evan Cofsky, grandson of survivor, UK. Annie Sicherman, granddaughter of survivors, United States. Anna Heyman, granddaughter of survivors, UK. Maya Ober, granddaughter of survivor and relative of deceased in Teresienstadt and Auschwitz, Tel Aviv. Anne Haan, granddaughter of Joseph Slagter, survivor of Auschwitz. Lives in The Netherlands. Oliver Ginsberg, grandson of victim, Germany. Alexia Zdral, granddaughter of Polish survivors, United States. Mitchel Bollag, grandson of Stanislaus Eisner, who was living in Czechoslovakia before being sent to a concentration camp. United States. Vivienne Porzsolt, granddaughter of victims of Nazi genocide, Australia. Lisa Nessan, granddaughter of survivors, United States. Kally Alexandrou, granddaughter of survivors, Australia. Laura Ostrow, granddaughter of survivors, United States Anette Jacobson, granddaughter of relatives killed, town of Kamen Kashirsk, Poland. Lives in United States. Tamar Yaron (Teresa Werner), granddaughter and niece of victims of the Nazi genocide in Poland, Israel. Antonio Roman-Alcalá, grandson of survivor, United States. Jeremy Luban, grandson of survivor, United States. Heather West, granddaughter of survivors and relative of other victims, United States. Jeff Ethan Au Green, grandson of survivor who escaped from a Nazi work camp and hid in the Polish-Ukranian forest, United States. Johanna Haan, daughter and granddaughter of victims in the Netherlands. Lives in the Netherlands. Aron Ben Miriam, son of and nephew of survivors from Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, Salzwedel, Lodz ghetto. Lives in United States. Noa Shaindlinger, granddaughter of four holocaust survivors, Canada. Merilyn Moos, granddaughter, cousin and niece murdered victims, UK. Ruth Tenne, granddaughter and relative of those who perished in Warsaw Ghetto, London. Craig Berman, grandson of Holocaust survivors, UK. Nell Hirschmann-Levy, granddaughter of survivors from Germany. Lives in United States. Osha Neumann, grandson of Gertrud Neumann who died in Theresienstadt. Lives in United States. Georg Frankl, Grandson of survivor Ernst-Immo Frankl who survived German work camp. Lives in Germany. Julian Drix, grandson of two survivors from Poland, including survivor and escapee from liquidated Janowska concentration camp in Lwow, Poland. Lives in United States. Katrina Mayer, grandson and relative of victims, UK. Avigail Abarbanel, granddaughter of survivors, Scotland. Denni Turp, granddaughter of Michael Prooth, survivor, UK. Fenya Fischler, granddaughter of survivors, UK. Yakira Teitel, granddaughter of German Jewish refugees, great-granddaughter of survivor, United States. Sarah, granddaughter of survivor, the Netherlands. Susan Koppelman, granddaughter of survivor, United States Hana Umeda, granddaughter of survivor, Warsaw. Jordan Silverstein, grandson of two survivors, Canada. Olivia Kraus, great-grandaughter of victims, granddaughter and daughter of family that fled Austria and Czechoslovakia. Lives in United States. Emily (Chisefsky) Alma, great granddaughter and great grandniece of victims in Bialystok, Poland, United States. Inbal Amin, great-granddaughter of a mother and son that escaped and related to plenty that didn’t, United States. Matteo Luban, great-granddaughter of survivors, United States. Additional relatives of survivors. Terri Ginsberg, niece of a survivor of the Nazi genocide, United States. Nathan Pollack, relative of Holocaust survivors and victims, United States. Marcy Winograd, relative of victims, United States. Rabbi Borukh Goldberg, relative of many victims, United States. Martin Davidson, great-nephew of victims who lived in the Netherlands, Spain. Miriam Pickens, relative of survivors, United States. Dorothy Werner, spouse of survivor, United States. Hyman and Hazel Rochman, relatives of Holocaust victims, United States. Rich Siegel, cousin of victims who were rounded up and shot in town square of Czestochowa, Poland. Now lives in United States. Ignacio Israel Cruz-Lara, relative of survivor, Mexico. Debra Stuckgold, relative of survivors, United States. Joel Kovel, relatives killed at Babi Yar, United States. Carol Krauthamer Smith, niece of survivors of the Nazi genocide, United States. Chandra Ahuva Hauptman, relatives from grandfather’s family died in Lodz ghetto, one survivor cousin and many deceased from Auschwitz, United States. Shelly Weiss, relative of Holocaust victims, United States. Carol Sanders, niece and cousin of victims of Holocaust in Poland, United States. Sandra Rosen, great-niece and cousin of survivors, United States. Raquel Hiller, relative of victims in Poland. Now lives in Mexico. Alex Kantrowitz, most of father’s family murdered Nesvizh, Belarus 1941. Lives in United States. Michael Steven Smith, many relatives were killed in Hungary. Lives in United States. Linda Moore, relative of survivors and victims, United States. Juliet VanEenwyk, niece and cousin of Hungarian survivors, United States. Anya Achtenberg, grand niece, niece, cousin of victims tortured and murdered in Ukraine. Lives in United States. Betsy Wolf-Graves, great niece of uncle who shot himself as he was about to be arrested by Nazis, United States. Abecassis Pierre, grand-uncle died in concentration camp, France. Robert Rosenthal, great-nephew and cousin of survivors from Poland. Lives in United States. Régine Bohar, relative of victims sent to Auschwitz, Canada. Denise Rickles, relative of survivors and victims in Poland. Lives in United States. Louis Hirsch, relative of victims, United States. Concepción Marcos, relative of victim, Spain. George Sved, relative of victim, Spain. Judith Berlowitz, relative of victims and survivors, United States. Rebecca Sturgeon, descendant of Holocaust survivor from Amsterdam. Lives in UK. Justin Levy, relative of victims and survivors, Ireland. Sam Semoff, relative of survivors and victims, UK. Karen Malpede, Spouse of hidden child who then fled Germany. United States Michel Euvrard, husband of Holocaust survivor, France.

Mikael Löfgren:s replik till DNs Nathan Shachar (som DN inte vill publicera) ×

I lördags (26/7) började Dagens Nyheters huvudartikel på ledarsidan så här: ”De senaste veckorna har omvärldens blick flyttats från Irak till Gaza. Det är inte så konstigt i ljuset av Hamas raketer mot Israel och det snabbt stigande antal dödade palestinier. Torsdagens attack mot en FN-driven skola underströk ännu en gång vikten av en snar vapenvila.” Resten av ledaren ägnades utvecklingen i Irak. Men låt oss titta närmare på dessa tre meningar. Vem gör vad mot vem? Hamas skjuter raketer mot Israel. Palestinier dödas, outtalat av vem. En FN-skola attackeras, outtalat av vem. Den enda aktivt aggressiva parten i dessa meningar är ”Hamas”. ”Israel”, ”palestinier” och ”FN-skola” är alla passiva offer. Så kan ett politiskt ställningstagande se ut i språkligt miniatyrformat. De senaste veckornas rapportering från den israeliska offensiven mot Gaza har gett många prov på politiska ställningstaganden, maskerade till ”nyhetsjournalistik” och ”analys”, inte minst i Dagens Nyheter. Tidningens främste ideolog är dess Mellanösternkorrespondent sedan många år, Nathan Shachar. Han är väl medveten om den ideologiska hårdvaluta som ligger i journalisters förmåga att skapa inlevelse och distans. Konventionell Mellanösternrapportering lider av två låsningar, som båda emanerar från det s k internationella samfundets officiella uppfattning. Den ena kan vi kalla ”kålsuparteorin”. Den utgår från den populära föreställningen att det aldrig är ens fel när två träter. I fallet Israel/Palestina bortser ”teorin” från den fundamentala skillnaden i makt. Parternas ansvar för och möjlighet att förändra situationen framstår då som jämnt fördelade. Den andra låsningen kan vi kalla ”normalitetsperspektivet”. I det perspektivet framstår uppror, krigshandlingar, terrordåd i Israel/Palestina som onormala avvikelser från det normaltillstånd som ofta benämns ”fredsprocess” - men vars rätta namn är ockupation. Och ockupation är inte och kan aldrig vara ”normal”. Dess realitet är till sitt väsen abnormt och våldsamt. För den ockuperade är våldet inget som blossar upp då och då. Det pågår varje dag, varje stund på ockuperat område, vid gränsövergångar och checkpoints, på jordbruksmark och i rättssalar. I en stort uppslagen DN-artikel, publicerad samma dag som ledarartikeln ovan, raffinerar Nathan Shachar dessa retoriska strategier. I stället för kålsuparteorins ”å ena sidan och å andra sidan” svävar han inte på målet om vad som är orsak till våldsamheterna: Hamas. I stället för att hänvisa till ”fredsprocessen” som det normala tillståndet i regionen, blickar Shachar tillbaka. Han framhåller tidigare, heroiska epoker i den palestinska motståndskampen och skäms inte för att slå dagens palestinier i huvudet med deras tidigare uppror. I kolonial stil utser han goda och onda representanter för de koloniserade bland de palestinska fraktionerna. Och i samma anda drömmer han sig tillbaka till det Gaza han mötte 1975: ”Stranden vid Shaati, det största av Gazaremsans flyktingläger, kryllade av ivriga brunbrända barn. I lägrets minimala hem fanns ingen plats, till och med matlagningen sköttes utomhus. Ungar skulle inte hänga de upptagna kvinnorna i kjolarna, stranden var deras lekrum. De metade, flög drakar och släpade blöta trädgrenar till al-tabuun, bakugnen på backen där farmor gjorde alla sorters bröd. Gaza var ockuperat, men denna strandscen, med vitklädda glassgubbar och saftförsäljarna i sina osmanska kostymer med bjällror i fezen, andades frihet och gemyt.” I Shachars artikel framtonar den tidiga ockupationens Gaza som ett närmast paradisiskt naturtillstånd i bjärt kontrast till dagens islamistiska och av Hamas förtryckta fäste. Den dåtida ockupationens ”frihet och gemyt” har avlösts av nutidens religiöst motiverade förbud och våld. Det råder ingen tvekan om att det palestinska folket i Gaza bör befrias - men från vad? Liksom i förbifarten framträder dagens verkliga ockupant inte som Israel utan som Hamas, det palestinska folkets valda företrädare, vars kamp - enligt Shachar - riktar sig ”inte så mycket mot Israel som mot det egna samhället”. Så osynliggörs den israeliska ockupations- och blockadpolitiken. Så blir en stor svensk dagstidning megafon åt den israeliska statspropagandan. Mikael Löfgren