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Friday October 27, 2006

Shorts: World

French paper won’t run survivor’s memorial notice

paris (ynet news) | A scandal broke out in France in recent days when a newspaper refused to publish a notice in memory of a French Jew, a Holocaust survivor of the Auschwitz death camps.

Fred Wolfson died in 1966 when he was 43. On the 40th anniversary of his death his family asked to publish a notice in his memory stating that, “His passing was due to complications caused by the barbaric Nazis.”

The newspaper, L’Est Republican, refused to publish the notice stating that they refrain from publishing notices that entail “political or ideological content.” Instead of the original text, the newspaper suggested writing “the trauma of the death camps.”

The family contacted several Jewish organizations and human rights institutions. The institutions stated that “Nazi barbarism is a reality recognized by the International Court for Nazi war crimes in Nuremburg.” But the notice still has not run.

Venezuela stops issuing tourist visas to Israelis

jerusalem (ap) | Venezuela has ceased issuing tourist visas to Israelis, its embassy in Israel said Monday, Oct. 23, accenting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s harsh criticism of Israel. 

Chavez also recalled his top diplomat in Israel to protest what he called the “genocide” Israel was committing in Lebanon during Israel’s 34-day war with Hezbollah  guerrillas. Such a recall is one of the strongest diplomatic moves short of severing diplomatic relations. 

Reached by phone from Venezuela, former charge d’affaires Hector Quintero said no tourist visas had been issued since his departure, two and half months ago. He said the visa freeze was related to “technical” issues relating to his absence from Israel, saying it would be addressed if and when he was sent back to Israel.

Thousands of Shiite Muslims hold anti-Israel rallies

karachi, pakistan (ap) | Thousands of Shiite Muslims denounced Israel and the United States in rallies across Pakistan on Friday, Oct. 20, demanding the Jewish state hand control of Jerusalem to Muslims. 

The rallies in the southern port city of Karachi, in the capital Islamabad and the eastern city of Lahore were held to mark the annual al-Quds Day — or Jerusalem Day — that takes place on the last Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. 

Chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America,” about 4,000 people, including 1,000 women, marched through a busy street lined by riot police in Karachi. No violence was reported.

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