German President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, criticizes an event at the Munich NS Documentation Center on Holocaust Remembrance Day. The actress Iris Berben will present a work by author Chaja Polak about Israel and Gaza on January 27.
“I have no problem with the theme of Frau Polak’s essay in principle” said Schuster to the Focus news magazine. “However, I find it irritating that the current situation in Israel is the central theme of an event on the day of remembrance for the victims of the Shoah.” “Mixtures and false associations that are not in the interest of the participants are threatened.”
Volker Beck, President of the German-Israeli Society, raises an eyebrow with the choice of date. The combination of the theme and date seems “not well chosen”, the politician said. Bavaria’s Antisemitism Commissioner Ludwig Spaenle had originally planned to give a greeting at the event, but withdrew his commitment due to scheduling reasons.
The criticism of the event takes place against the backdrop of a scientist’s dispute. Different voices question the uniqueness of the NS Jewish persecution, as it hinders criticism of Israel. Opponents of this position warn that the victims of the Shoah and the wars in the Middle East should not be offset against each other.