Pro-Palestinian activists in Greece
Photo: Reuters
Netanyahu and Papandreou
Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO
Georgiadis
Yoaz Hendel
Anti-Semitic awakening in Greek government
Analysis: Former PM Papandreou stopped Gaza flotilla two years ago, but new regime in Athens displays dangerous hatred of Jews
In June 2011, a year after the Gaza-bound flotilla was intercepted by Israeli commandos, some 300 anti-Israel activists gathered in Piraeus to send another flotilla. Israel offered to transfer aid and goods to Gaza through the Ashdod Port, but to no avail. The organizers wanted images of an international incident of the Marmara kind.
Left with no other choice, the IDF
prepared commando soldiers for another takeover while experts in international law were preparing for more inquiry committees. It is difficult for an army to come out good from any clash with civilians who are holding cameras. When pro-Palestinian organizations are involved, it is impossible.
Honorable Member
Artemis Matthaiopoulos of neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party used to play bass for band called Pogrom, whose songs include 'Auschwitz' and 'Speak Greek or Die'
What eventually stopped the fleet were the Greek government and a series of technical malfunctions. Then-Prime Minister George Papandreou forcefully prevented the ships from leaving the port. Those who did were arrested and detained, until the flotilla dissipated.
The relations between Greece and Israel never looked better. The Israeli government was seeking regional allies amid the crisis with Turkey, and Israelis were looking to bask in the sun at Greece's new resorts. Papandreou was everything we could have hoped for in light of the new Middle East – for a limited time.
Mysterious issues stopped them (Photo: Reuters)
The romance, caused people to forget about Greece's problematic tradition – anti-Semitism without the constraints of political correctness. The boundaries are blurred. I recalled this phenomenon last week when Adonis Georgiadis was appointed Greece's health minister. Georgiadis, a local celebrity, made a name for himself when he sold nationalist and anti-Semitic books on television. In the name of freedom of expression, "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" became a best seller in Greece.
As a senior politician he explained that “all major banks belong to the Jews” and that “the Jewish lobby” would determine the fate of Greece’s foreign debt. When the Jewish community sued a well-known anti-Semitic author over a book Georgiadis highly recommended, he chose to serve as a witness for the defense.
Georgiadis introduces book: 'Jews: The Whole Truth'
One could dismiss Georgiadis' appointment as a political move by new Prime Minister Samaras, but the health minister is not the only senior Greek politician to make anti-Semitic remarks. Current Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, leader of the socialist party, made anti-Semitic remarks while speaking before the parliament about the scandal involving secret bank accounts in Switzerland. Makis Voridis, who served as infrastructure minister in the previous government, is one of the founders of the Hellenic Front party - with a background of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.
These senior politicians have not changed their worldview and have never expressed any regret over their anti-Semitic remarks. The only difference is that now they are part of the regime and the general atmosphere in Greece.
Racism is a phenomenon that is living and breathing everywhere. In Israel too there exist shameful phenomena on the dangerous fringes of society. The test is in the vocal legitimacy these phenomena receive; in the struggle against them. In the West, modern anti-Semitism is translated into anti-Israel activity. The ideological disguise. Not every criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic, but most anti-Semitism in the world is eventually directed against Israel.
And another comment on the same subject: Last week the deputy prime minister of Turkey, Greek's old rival, accused the Jews of being behind the anti-government protests in his country. It turns out that an apology over the Marmara incident and compensation just aren’t enough. When it comes to anti-Semitism, there are no all-inclusive packages in Turkey.
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