UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Friday 6 January 2012

Ultra Orthodox extremists violate memory of Holocaust victims

Ultra Orthodox Jews demonstrated in Jerusalem wearing the 'uniforms' of Concentration Camps victims and displaying yellow stars based on the ones the Nazis forced on all Jews in the 1930's and 40's. They were demonstrating against the opposition to their attempts to bully and abuse those in Israeli society who don't share their religious convictions. This abuse included spitting at and assaulting school children who were attending mixed sex schools or exposing arms and legs. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/menachem-rosensaft/those-who-desecrate-the-h_b_1180670.html?ref=daily-brief?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=010312&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief

Professor Menachem Rosensaft takes issue with all who utilise Holocaust parallels in their political arguments. In particular he takes issue with these ultras but also with right wing commentators (so called 'shock jocks' and Tea Party members) who regularly abuse Obama as a 'Hitler'.

Where we might disagree with the Professor is with the use of parallels not with gas chambers - but of ghettos and walls. It is one of the worse ironies that those who campaign in support of the Palestinian People's rights have had to point out that early Nazi oppression of Jews, Poles, Russians and Gypsies involved the use of walls and ghettoes. Even worse that the point is lost on the Israeli Government. It is part of the usual vitriol for supporters of the Palestinian people to be abused as 'anti semitic' by those in the Zionist camp when we raise our voices in protest at war crimes and illegal settlements.

Trade unionists and Socialists side with the oppressed, that means the victims of the Nazis and the Palestinian victims of successive Israeli Governments