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SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE -EUROPE
Tel. +33-147237637 - Fax: +33-147208401
e-mail:
csweurope@gmail.com
"The European SongContest cannot be exploited as a vector for hatemongering" Paris, 6 February2012
In a letter to European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Director-General,Ingrid
Deltenre, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's Director forInternational
Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, noted that, "wehave learned from a member
in Sweden that Swedish Television
Samuels brought this to the EBU's attention as "the managementauthority
for a contest which is, in essence, a cultural ratherthan a political
event," explaining that, "Ms. Dirawi has,reportedly, on several
occasions, suggested that the State ofIsrael is perpetrating a
Holocaust — which she claims to haveretracted. Nevertheless, it is now
alleged that she persists incharacterizing Israel's policies as those
of AdolfHitler."
The letter pointed to the EBU website as "declaring its missionas
'promoting public service values' — a position that shouldpreclude the
introduction of the Middle East conflict orbanalization of the
Holocaust into the Eurovision SongContest."
Samuels suggested that "the EBU — within the constellation ofthe
European institutions — surely subscribes to the EUFundamental Rights
Agency's provisions against racism,including the Working Definition of
Antisemitism which viewsthe application of Holocaust analogies to the
Jewish State ascontributory factors to anti-Semitism."
He argued that "the assaults against the Rabbi and synagogue ofMalmo
required intervention by the Stockholm authorities afterour Centre
imposed a travel advisory on that city in southernSweden. The situation
can only be further aggravated by anannual occasion — when Europe
assembles to sing of love andharmony — engaging an allegedly discordant
voice of prejudiceto your own self-proclaimed values."
The Centre urged the EBU "to investigate the reports of Ms.Dirawi's
apparent anti-Semitic discourse and, if substantiated,to call upon your
member, Swedish Television, to cancel itscontract with her."
"The European Song Contest is watched by millions, especially byyoung
viewers. It cannot be exploited as a vector forhatemongering,"
concluded Samuels.
For further information contact Shimon Samuels at 0033609770158., join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent direct to your Twitter page or mobiledevice.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the UnitedStates. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe, and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino). |