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Israel no longer taboo in Germany?
Aviel Magnezi
Published: 09.04.12, 00:24
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47 Talkbacks for this article
1. Avi Primor is an idiot for excusing Grass
Rachel ,   US   (04.09.12)
2. thank god
jay abouaf ,   yafo israel   (04.09.12)
primor is right 100% i hate taboos people should be able to say whatever they f777& want to... always. at least in print. grass should not be judged on his cowardly past. the serious problem is his mistaken, ignoraant, fascist- appeasing, Anti human rights, sleeping with the sickest, choice. we all always knew about the perverted 'ways' of those SS men; but this is too much.
3. grass did not criticize israel!
Peter ,   Austria   (04.09.12)
he made up a first strike scenario annihilating the people of iran, for which israel, according to grass, would claim to have the "right". this is no criticizising, this is an accusation of a planned blood libel.
4. The sooner Israel recognises....
Robert ,   Australia   (04.09.12)
....it is not an immaculate conception and can be criticised just like anyone else, the less it will be condemned.
5. Hypocrit lefty ignores Islamist aims for global Caliphate
PETER SM ,   AUSTRALIA   (04.09.12)
The very antithesis of what lefties claim to stand for. In reality they have their own political agenda which makes common cause with Islamists, ignoring their global terror, their oppressions, their Islamists apartheid and instead making loud noise to distract for Islamofascists. Grass is, amongst other things, an egotistical self promoter.
6. Nuclear armed terror exporting Pakistan is no threat to
PETER SM ,   AUSTRALIA   (04.09.12)
to world peace for that leftist hypocrit. He does not need any supervision for Pakistan Nor does he have issues with Islamist ambitions to impose a global caliphate, something which allegedly is the very antithesis of leftist liberal ideals. Talk about hypocrites
7. it's just poetry...
european   (04.09.12)
... that millions of people would never even hear about had israel not overreacted. now everybody knows, and guess what, this is reflecting badly on israel. every comment i've heard has been, they're hysterical, trying to suppress free speech and art. there is this feeling that israelis are very clumsily trying to bully people simply to prevent legitimate criticism. but all it does is cause more criticism, because, of course, israel can't really bully anyone... i've said it before and i'll say it again, try to make some friends instead of alienating everyone on the planet. protect your interests but in a reasonable, calm manner. it cannot be good for any country, even big and powerful ones, to be universally rejected/despised.
8. No, Germany has criticized Israel before.
Gunnar ,   Gothenburg, Sweden   (04.09.12)
This doesn't break a taboo. Germany, and especially Chancellor Merkel, has been critical. The thing with Grass is that he took it too far, by saying Israel was a "threat to world peace". It's not! That kind of criticism is absurd. Criticism towards settlements and policy against the Palestinians is however legitimate and well-founded.
9. Not sure that's the issue
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (04.09.12)
It isn't Germans who criticized Israel. It is Guenter Grass, a former officer in the Waffen SS. He doesn't have the luxury of claiming that he was not alive during the War. He was very much alive, and the acts of the Waffen SS are very well known. There are many Germans who are "bestamt," but Guenter Grass is not one of them. He deserved a date with the hangman. It's not too late. Every hour that piece of scum breathes air is a massive insult to the Jewish people -- and to humanity, generally.
10. Six million reasons....
E. ,   Jerusalem   (04.09.12)
There are at least six million reasons why the Germans, especially a former member of the Hitler-Jugend, don't have any right to criticize Israel!!!
11. my answer to Herr Gunter Grass
Jerome Marcus ,   Philadelphia, PA US   (04.09.12)
How dare you contend Simultaneously that the Jewish bomb exists and has existed For decades And is "out of control" By which you mean, of course, that it is out of Your Control And that it should not exist While you also do not dispute that this Jewish bomb has never been used against any enemy No matter how deadly How dare you contend How dare You of all people contend That these little Jews from their shitty little country Should not have the right to defend themselves Against people Like you Who will not wait — who did not wait -- until these Jews are fairly armed To defend themselves against enemies well-armed How dare you contend That an Other people are threatened And that it is not fair for the Jew to have this weapon he has had For decades but never used Because you say it threatens people Who in plain sight threaten Jews But they're just Jews so it doesn't count To you And who cry out loud before all the world that as Soon as they get what they do not yet have They will use it To solve the Jewish Problem About which you know and knew so much. Fuck you. We learned from you last time We will not make that mistake again.
12. The Sampson Option: Israel nukes the entire world
Steven Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (04.09.12)
...in retaliation to a nuclear attack on Israel by an enemy, such as Iran, Pakistan, China, Russia.
13. Grass is full of gas
Standing Tall ,   USA/Canada   (04.09.12)
Tell Mr. Grass to kiss my as-.
14. What Must Be Said
Sam Eisenstein ,   Pasadena, USA   (04.09.12)
I'm sure Grass agonised over what he wrote. He is not wrong on any of his points, especially if Israel is all right with committing suicide by not stopping Iran by any means at its disposal. There is no absolute right in this terrible moment.What is clearly wrong is Israel's banishing the writer from Israel. This is merely becoming what it most fears: a totalitarian state, no longer dedicated to free speech and expression.
15. Primor
Zvi ,   YERUSHALAIM,ISRAEL   (04.09.12)
Primor is profesional diplom...(sorry-IDIOT)
16. Youth Movement?
max ,   los angeles   (04.09.12)
Youth Movement? The Waffen SS was a military unit. Who worked alongside the Einstatzgruppen. Be a little less lazy and do your research. That's your job.
17. an old man talking shit so what?
thommy ,   germany   (04.09.12)
he talked shit aboiut israel destroying iran but the reactions are overblown he said his oppinion and the german media destroyed him so the things should be cleared
18. IT AINT TABOO ( A RAP )
DA RAP ARTIST ,   SAFED OPERA HOUSE   (04.09.12)
Yo ,yet more rap from da pap who likes to talk crap ,don't fall in to my trap cause I am a jew ,and it is no longer taboo to get a tatoo nor to talk about da past like Gunter Grass whose opinions and his minions I will pass , like broken glass cos I aint no squealer and time is da great heeler aint no longer detestable in so-called circles intellectual to have heated debate 'and to bash da one jewish state from those whose hate ,will not abate but I am pure ,and those whom are afflicted there aint no available cure their hatred they can't tame their excuses lame da more tings change da more tings stay da same .INNIT ?
19. ISRAEL NO LONGER TATOO ?
MR DYSLEXIC ,   SAFED OPERA HOUSE   (04.09.12)
20. MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL
DA RAP ARTIST ,   SAFED OPERA HOUSE   (04.09.12)
With this Grass fellow .
21. #1, Rachel...I agree !
Chris Rettenmoser ,   Bayerisch Gmain Germ   (04.09.12)
22. FACTUAL COUNTER PR! IGNORE the superficial "poetic" FOOL.
Jerry ,   The Netherlands   (04.09.12)
23. #3
Harrybaby ,   Canada   (04.09.12)
Why would a first strike scenario "annihilate" the people of Iran. What nonsense. If somebody threatened you and your family with an atomic bomb, you have every right to pre-empt that attack. Its called self-defence....unless of course one is an anti-semite and gets off by the thought of annihilating Jews. Is that your problem Peter? After all we all know that Hitler was an Austrian. "Blood Libel"?Go look up the definition. As for grass the german....Same sh1t, different day.
24. Gunter Grass is a Relic o the Nazi Era
Israelit ,   Israel   (04.09.12)
He was born somewhere around 192, which means he grew up a Hitler Youth, indoctrinated to hate Jews. What else can you expect from a dyed in the wool Nazi? "No Anti-Semitism in Grass's speeches and publications".. Yeah, for sure. Oh, and there is an Easter Bunny too!
25. Robert 4- The US never
Stephen in New York   (04.09.12)
provided arms to Iraq as you posted at another thread. Iraqi arms were mostly Soviet and later French. And you think this thread is discussing criticism when it is about a narrative far more sinister. My comments may be dumb, but they are knowledgeable, but yours are simply stupid.
26. World's apetite for antisemitism has no boundaries and there
tom ,   tel aviv   (04.09.12)
will come a day, when it'll be "common knowledge", that the ovens of Auschwitz were for ceramic-classes the Jewish inmates of this shelter could choose & pick amongst many activities offered by the humane, German SS (Soul-Saviours) that has put them in the camp for protection from the raging war waged by the colonialist America.
27. former SS criticizes Israel
Moshe ,   Rehovot   (04.09.12)
but noooo, he's NOT anti-semitic. just a sweet gentle soul
28. Clearly, Mr. Grass suffers from an internal - known or ...
Jehudah Ben-Israel ,   Qatzrin, Israel   (04.09.12)
... unknown - predicament: He senses the need to cleanse his soul for his deeds and the deeds of his people, having managed to bring the death of 50 million people throughout Europe, during the Second World War. The best way to do so, from his perspective, is to deflect the sense of guilt onto others, blame the Jews for being ready to annihilate Iran and its population, a country of some 80 million people, and when that is done, and he probably hopes it will be done, his soul will be cleansed, seeing his victims, the Jews, doing even worse than he and his comrades did to humanity - he volunteered to the Waffen SS!! - thus ensuring that he could die peacefully. One predicament he has not considered: Israel has NEVER called or expressed interest in annihilating Iran and its people. For that matter, Israel has never threatened or expressed the desire to annihilate any country and its population, NEVER! The contrary has been the case, when the Iranian leaders, both religious and secular, call every single Friday, in public, for the death of Israel and the annihilation of every trace of Jewish life in it. But, this fact is missing from Grass's "poem" for some reason, since inserting it will destroy his desperate need to cleanse his soul, and that can be done only, in this case, by spewing yet another blood libel on the Jews, right before Pessah, in keeping with tradition of the circles of people from whence he comes.
29. collateral damage
tiki ,   belgium   (04.09.12)
Israel will do EVERYTHING nescecary to protect it's citizens & Jews. If the rest of the world will suffer because of it, it's a shame, but can't be helped. It's called collateral damage. Israel won't sacrifice itself for the 'good of the world, who than can hold yearly MEMORIAL DAYS of what once has been. Israel will give the same 'respect & consideration to the world as the world has given her & her citizens over the centuries. So, Gunther Grass, Annie Lennox, Vanessa Redgrave, Saramago, Waters, Emma Thompson & all the rest of the '''celebrities''' can write & boycot whatever they want.....Israel will do what must be done and won't sacrify itself for the good of these useless types without a spine. This time around, "If the WORLD decides to let Israel go", she will will take the the world with her! There will be no repetition of 40/45, no singling out of the Jews. The hypocritical & shaking West, who's letting 'celebrities do the talking for them in sneers & poems, better keep that in mind.
30. grass excitement
elie ,   israel   (04.09.12)
what do you expect from one who identifies with nazis. what is gideon levy's , and yussie sarid''s and thomas friedman's justication for issuing more hostile anti israel statements. they do not have to get better treatment.
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