Why did they not boo Netanyahu off the stage?

Netanyahu in a speech he gave last week to delegates of the Zionist World Congress in Jerusalem, invented the following dialogue that he claimed took place between the Palestinian Mufti, Haj Amin al-Husseini and Adolf Hitler during their 1941 meeting in Berlin in:

"He flew to Berlin. Hitler didn’t want to exterminate the Jews at the time, he wanted to expel the Jews. And Haj Amin al-Husseini went to Hitler and said, 'If you expel them, they'll all come here.' 'So what should I do with them?' he asked. He said, 'Burn them'."

What accusation can be worse than to have instilled Auschwitz in Hitler’s mind? Propaganda must be simple and I just love the idea of Hitler – in typical Hitler manner - sitting there and asking the Mufti advice or even instructions: “so what should I do?” In his desire to blame Palestinians, Netanyahu almost whitewashed Hitler. The world has stopped listening to his ranting about Iran as the perpetrator of the next Holocaust and now it’s the Palestinians who are and always have been out to annihilate the Jews.   

Does Netanyahu believe the bullshit he utters? Did the former President of Iran, Ahmedinejad, believe his claim that the Holocaust is a myth? Did promoters of the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” believe them to be true or was political expediency behind their emergence and re-emergence?

Netanyahu has form. He has form as a liar and as an inciter to hatred. This is what Israelis evidently want or at least are willing to accept. Otherwise, he would not be prime minister. But Diaspora Jews must also carry some of the blame. 60 per cent of the 525 delegates represent Diaspora Jewry and they sat and listened to Netanyahu’s speech. They should have booed him off the stage. Instead they stood in line for a photo opportunity with him. 

A Letter to Germany

100 Briefe an Deutschland  that was published a few weeks ago includes a letter from me. It is in German. S0 read it, if you can…

Say YES to UN observers in Jerusalem

The 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine foresaw a special status for the greater Jerusalem area, as a corpus separatum, under a special international regime and administered by the United Nations. Unfortunately, this resolution was never implemented.

Now, because of the current tension in Jerusalem, France is promoting a plan to deploy international observers at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Sounds like a good idea to me. But, Israel objects.

Having one-sidedly annexed East Jerusalem, Israel wants to avoid any act that might question its self-declared sovereignty over the city that contains sites holy to all three monotheistic religions. Sadly, the US will side with Israel on this matter and thereby prevent the necessary Security Council resolution.  

“How do I become a damn good writer?”

Years ago a German friend of mine stayed as a house guest in a beautiful country house in England. When he entered the room he had been allocated, he found a book on Nazi atrocities on the bookshelf. He was and still is convinced that the book was placed there by his hosts and friends on purpose, especially for him.

Recently, a friend of mine very kindly allowed me to use her apartment in a small town in Germany. Was the book “How do I become a damn good writer?” that I found on the coffee table in the living room, left there especially for me?

Back from Malta

Just back from a week in Malta.

This has now been taken care of. You do not need to go there. 

Cameron: I’ll Build a Stronger Society

First headline I saw when I arrived in the UK, a couple of days ago:

Cameron: I’ll Build a Stronger Society

Anyone buy that? I suppose that with his track record, pigs can fly would not be appropriate.

Visit Israel

Three Stories in yesterday’s Israeli Press caught my eye:

1. A video showing an Israeli Member of Parliament (blue shirt) - with the singing support of his orthodox backup band - going berserk in the Arab part of Jerusalem.

2. The call of the Jerusalem’s mayor – following various stabbing events - for people to carry arms when they leave their homes in Jerusalem. 

3. The Israeli government’s decision to farm out its overseas propaganda work to an American advertising agency. It probably makes sense: Advertisers that try to convince us to smoke cancer producing cigarettes, should also be good at convincing the world that Israel is a good tourist destination? Or just extreme adventure holidays? Perhaps even a country worth supporting?