For a Change, Encouraging Signs in Germany

Yakoov Kirschen of Dry Bones has produced this magnificient cartoon that addresses the latest Iranian death threats against Israel.

Today - Saturday, Oct. 29 - about 300 Islamists demonstrated in Berlin against Israel. The annual worldwide “Al Quds Day” demonstrations ritually call for the destruction of Israel. This year's Berlin demonstration was not as openly anti-Semitic as last year's - because German authorities had requested the removal of hateful anti-Israel banners and posters. Also, about 200 democrats staged their own pro-Israel demonstration.

For a change, the reaction of the authorities and the pro-Israel demonstration are encouraging signs in Germany.

Comments

[Alan Shore]

Wow, who would have thought... Even the ex-communists were part of the anti-anti-Israel demonstration. Seems like Germany is not that bad after all. Even Donald Rumsfeld is talking to us again.

[FranzisM]

Yahoo News has photographs.

[Leserin]

Yes, Donald Rumsfeld is talking to Germany (and Europe), and what he's telling you is to take responsibility for the negotiations with Iran:

SPIEGEL: Wie besorgt sind Sie wegen Iran?

Rumsfeld: Alle müssen besorgt sein, wenn ein so wichtiges, großes und reiches Land keinen normalen Umgang mit dem Rest der Welt pflegt. Die Iraner haben offensichtlich einen gewissen Ehrgeiz, sie haben Macht und militärische Fähigkeiten ...

SPIEGEL: ... und nukleare Ambitionen ...

Rumsfeld: Zu diesem Ergebnis sind Frankreich, Deutschland, Großbritannien und die Internationale Atomenergiebehörde in Wien gelangt. Jedermann möchte die Iraner als Teil der Weltgemeinschaft haben, aber sie sind es noch nicht. Darum gibt es dort weniger Berechenbarkeit und größere Gefahr.

"Meine Güte, Iran ist euer Nachbar. Wir müssen doch nicht alles machen."

SPIEGEL: Die USA versuchen, den Fall im Uno-Sicherheitsrat verhandeln zu lassen.

Rumsfeld: Das würde ich so nicht sagen. Soviel ich weiß, bearbeiten Frankreich, Deutschland und Großbritannien dieses Problem.

SPIEGEL: Okay, alle arbeiten daran.

Rumsfeld: Ihr! Ihr!

SPIEGEL: Über welche Art Sanktionen reden wir?

Rumsfeld: Ich rede gar nicht über Sanktionen. Ich dachte, ihr und Großbritannien und Frankreich tut das.

SPIEGEL: Sie nicht?

Rumsfeld: Ich rede nicht über Sanktionen. Ihr habt die Führung inne. Also, führt auch!

SPIEGEL: Sie meinen die Europäer.

Rumsfeld: Natürlich. Meine Güte, Iran ist euer Nachbar. Wir müssen doch nicht alles machen.

[Toe-pi]

Please let me know if there is any similar opinion in a Germany newspaper - which also mentions the anti-Semitic crap from the Frankfurt Book Fair, where German high-brows, wise guys and Islamofascists alike get together in order to talk about how they can make the world a better place, lecturing Israel and the United States and pleasing dictators, tyrants and priests of hate, wherever they are.

'Wiped Off the Map'
October 31, 2005; Page A16

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took to a Tehran stage last week to deliver remarks at a conference titled (in English, so there be no mistaking his gist) "A World Without Zionism." The Jewish state, he said, "must be wiped off the map," adding for good measure that countries that recognize Israel would "burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury."

So what else is new? Iranian leaders have been calling for Israel's destruction for decades. At the Frankfurt Book Fair last week, Iranian booksellers were peddling the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," one of Adolf Hitler's inspirations and probably the most notorious anti-Semitic tract in history. Mr. Ahmadinejad's comments were celebrated by the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, who said Israel's "existence is illegal." Former President Ali Rafsanjani, seen in some diplomatic circles as a pragmatist, also lent his support. "Even in Europe," he said, "the majority of the population is strongly critical of Israel, but they are afraid to express their views." Which, sad to say, is probably true.

More notable has been the intensity of Western reaction. German parliamentarian Friedbert Pflueger called the Iranian comments "barbaric"; Kofi Annan expressed "dismay," possibly the harshest word he knows. In France, a Foreign Ministry spokesman described Mr. Ahmadinejad's speech as "a new and important element," which his country would have to take into account in future negotiations with Tehran. We fail to see what's new, but we're glad the French are taking notice.

The most incisive comment came from British Prime Minister Tony Blair. "Can you imagine a state like that with an attitude like that having a nuclear weapon?" he asked. In Washington, as in Jerusalem, policy makers have been pondering that question for years. It's past time others ponder it, too.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113072786557783946.html?mod=todays_us_opinion

[Walter]

>Please let me know if there is any similar opinion in a Germany newspaper - which
>also mentions the anti-Semitic crap from the Frankfurt Book Fair

Take "Der Tagesspiegel" for example:
http://archiv.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/29.10.2005/2143927.asp
(in German)

[Sisyphos]

Weshalb die ganze ungemütliche Sache so schnell wie möglich vergessen gehen wird:

http://sisyphosmount.blogspot.com/2005/11/rckkehr-zur-tagesordnung.html