National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) and IKG Chairman Oskar Deutsch painted anti-Semitic slogans on the facade of a Jewish shop on Monday in the presence of Israeli Ambassador David Roet. On the night of May 1, the slogans ‘Death to Zionism’ and ‘Victory to Palestine’ were painted there.
Sobotka compared the graffiti to the year 1938. The same images were on the street at the time. “This does not belong in Austria.” This requires a clear attitude and not just nice words on Sunday. Sobotka emphasized that Parliament has been warning about growing anti-Semitism for six years. But at the time it was said that he painted the devil on the wall or exploited it. It is known that 30 percent of the population is latently anti-Semitic, while eight to nine percent is clearly anti-Semitic.
According to the President of the National Council, Parliament offers workshops on this subject, among other things, as part of the democracy workshop. However, schools sometimes do not dare to offer these courses because of migrants in the classes and fear of confrontation. “A clear position from the teaching staff is also needed here.” In general, Sobotka saw that anti-Semitism was also imported through migration. There is also left-wing or ‘series anti-Semitism’, as anti-Semitism researcher Monika Schwarz-Friesel recently put it during a memorial meeting.
Criticism of German-Israeli philosophers
Sobotka also criticized the appearance of German-Israeli philosopher Omri Boehm at Judenplatz and his “very crude analysis of apartheid policy.” He views the developments of the past few days with concern: “If we give space to the left-wing narrative, tomorrow we will also have in Europe what Hamas is doing.”
Jewish Community (IKG) Chairman Deutsch also considered Boehm, who will deliver the “Speech for Europe” on Tuesday this year as part of the Vienna Festival Weeks on Judenplatz, “the wrong speaker in the wrong place.” He attributed this not only to the person of the philosopher, but also to the invitation policy of the festival weeks in general: he wondered why things were made difficult for the Jews in Vienna and, especially at a time like this, people like the Greek ex-finance minister Yanis Varoufakis involved. Deutsch also saw this as an insult and provocation to his community members.
Memories of slogans from the thirties
Deutsch compared the anti-Semitic slogans in a Jewish owner’s store with the slogan “Don’t buy from Jews” from the 1930s. This was the beginning of a development that eventually led to six million Jews being murdered. Therefore, painting over it by official representatives of the state is also an “important symbolic act”.
“Anti-Semitism cannot be eradicated so easily”
“Although the anti-Semitic graffiti will be covered with paint, the stain of anti-Semitism cannot simply be wiped away,” Roet emphasizes. It cannot be accepted that Jews are leveled against Israel with flimsy accusations and that calls for genocide are painted on walls, shouted at universities or on the streets of Vienna.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
