IMC SWITZERLAND UNDER FIRE

Swiss non-governmental organization Aktion Kinder des Holocaust is threatening with legal charges two members from editorial staff of Independent Media Center of Switzerland, an alternative media group formed by volunteer activists, for publishing of alleged anti-Semitic material.

IMC web site works on the principle of open-publishing, where readers are encouraged to post articles, opinions, images, etc. One of those readers, Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, decided to post his serie of 7 cartoons called "We are all Palestinians" to promote International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra & Shatila.

In these images, artist compares the suffering of Palestinians to various oppressed people in history and elsewhere in the world now. Last artwork from this series shows a scene from Nazi-era Warsaw Ghetto, where a Jewish boy says "I am Palestinian". According to Latuff, "Jews from past and today's Palestinians were/are both victims. If today was 1940, I would to say "I am Jew". But today, Palestinians are the victims, not agressors. If you are victim of opression anywhere, then you are Palestinian as well".

According to AKdH spokesman, Mr. Samuel Althof, to compare Holocaust with Israel policy towards Palestinians is anti-Semitism. A complaint was adressed to Swiss police and due restrict laws against in Switzerland, IMC web site can be closed and two of their members sued.

Criticism to opression of Palestinians by Israel is often seen by some NGOs and mainstream as anti-Semitism, even satires as one broadcasted by Abu Dhabi Television in 2001 of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as a vampire drinking the blood of Arabs.

Cartoonist Latuff, who published on Internet a public statement on anti-Semitic cartoons, has called an action against AKdH, demanding suspension of legal charges towards IMC Switzerland.

AKdH spokesman, Mr. Samuel Althof: althof@akdh.ch

Other AKdH email contacts: editor@akdh.ch

die.sprecher@akdh.ch

sekretariat@akdh.ch

IMC Switzerland: switzerland@indymedia.org

Latuff's We are all Palestinians cartoon series:

http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=127386&group=webcast

Are Jews the only Semitic people? Are Christians and Muslims races? If we believe what we're told by some groups, Jews are the only members of the Semitic race, and Jews are a race not followers of a religion.

Once again, they are in need of a reminder:

1. Palestinians and Arabs are just as Semitic as Middle Eastern Jews. Persecution of these groups is just as "anti-Semitic" as persecuting Jews.

2. The majority of Jews, in Israel and elsewhere, are of the Euro-Caucasian race, not Semitic. They are decendents of Europeans who converted to Judaism centuries ago.

3. Jews are not a "race", any more than Christians are a separate "race" or Muslims are a separate "race"-they are followers of the religion of Judaism.

The group sueing the Swiss IMC appears to be very confused about its identity.