TURKEY: ANTISEMITISM GETS OUT OF CONTROL
Prof. Barry Rubin
Global Politician
Jan 12 2009
NY
Breaking News: A n bomb has been exploded midnight January 12 near
the Israeli investment bank ‘Bank Pozitif’ which is close to the
Israeli Consulate Building in Istanbul.
This has been sent to me by a very reliable friend who has agreed
to distribution as long as his name is not used. You are invited to
post or send to your list. It is not unthinkable that the future of
the Turkish Jewish community is in doubt.–Barry Rubin
The Prime Minister in Turkey has encouraged hatred against Israel in
his speeches which has become obvious anti-Semitic propaganda among
the general public.
There are people around the clock besieging the Israeli consulate in
Istanbul shouting their hatred against Israel and Jewish people. All
around Istanbul billboards are full of propaganda posters against
Israel like; "Moses, even this is not written in your book" and
"Israel Stop this Crime." On the streets the people are writing such
graffiti as: "Kill Jews," "Kill Israel," "Israel should no longer
exist in the Middle East," and "Stop Israeli Massacre."
The week-end before, some people wrote, "We will kill you" on the door
of one of the biggest synagogues in Izmir resulted in the closing down
of synagogues. Near Istanbul University, a group put a huge poster on
the door of a shop owned by a Jew: "Do not buy from here, since this
shop is owned by a Jew." A group put posters on his wall saying that:
"Jews and Armenians are not allowed but dogs are allowed." Some young
people are even threatening others with violence if they are seen as
pro-Israel in social networking websites such as Facebook and Hi5.
The document attached is the official statement by the minister of
education stating that tomorrow [January 14] at 11am in all the high
schools and primary schools the students will pay homage to the women
and children dead during the war and furthermore, the teachers of
art will organize the session of painting and writing on the subject:
"Humanity Drama in Palestine" and the winners will receive awards.
The Jewish community can do nothing in response to what has been
going on for the last few weeks, except giving vague statements that
the Turkish Jewish Community does not want the war to be continued
any more.
We have previously faced some strong reaction regarding previous
operations in Gaza and the West Bank but this time is really different
from former ones. I feel open anti-Semitism and hatred from all
these people. Nobody understood, Even some widely read columnists
in Turkey are writing things that lead all these groups toward this
hatred becoming much more dangerous day by day.
But I know one thing: that the world should know about the widespread
and openly anti-Semitic propaganda which far exceeds anything happening
in Europe.
Prof. Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International
Affairs (GLORIA) Center, Interdisciplinary university. His new book
is The Truth About Syria (Palgrave-Macmillan).
You can buy his latest book The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary
History of the Middle East Conflict on Amazon.com here.