Professors for a Strong Israel

Statement to the Press - 7 May 2000

Re: "May the deniers have no hope"

In the Jewish calendar there are two periods that may be called Days of Awe: the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and those between Holocaust Remembrance Day and Memorial Day/Independence Day. Both periods are appropriate times for personal and national introspection, for learning lessons and drawing conclusions. It is a pity that Israel's leaders can deliver fiery speeches on Holocaust Day and Memorial Day while they are unable to draw the correct conclusions from them.

Last week at Auschwitz, the Minister of Education, Yossi Sarid, derided "the deniers of the Holocaust and those who would have us forget." Nonetheless, he and his colleagues follow a policy of surrender to enemies who deny the Holocaust and hope to repeat it, Arafat and Assad. This surely gives hope to Holocaust deniers everywhere.

Professors for a Strong Israel calls on Israel's leaders to assimilate the lesson of the Holocaust, to read the handwriting on the wall -- not to abandon the Land of Israel to its enemies, who hope to continue the work of Hitler. The threat of fascism on the borders of Israel and at the gates of Jerusalem is palpable. It is much more dangerous than Heiderism in Austria, and it should be greeted with at least as much caution, protest, and revulsion.

Dr. Ron Breiman, Spokesman
Tel: 050-518 940
Pager: 03-610 6666 / 28345