Holocaust Remembrance Day

Yesterday evening and today we observed Holocaust Remembrance Day here in Israel. It's always a sobering day. It makes you realise that you should appreciate every piece of food you put in your mouth and the roof you have over your head. Most of all, it makes you realise that you should make the most of every moment you have with your family.

This year, it was even more sobering. First of all, as each year passes you see fewer and fewer survivors at the ceremonies, and these days most of them were only children when the Holocaust took place. Very soon, we'll hardly have any people left to share their personal stories with us and remind the world that the Holocaust really did happen.

In one of those ironies that seems to haunt the Jewish world, Holocaust Remembrance Day began on the evening of 20th April - the day Hitler was born. And if that weren't enough, it was also the same day that the President of Iran "graced" the Durban Conference in Geneva with his presence and, true to style, let loose with his usual vitriolic antisemitic / anti-Israeli tirades. Thankfully, some countries had the decency not to send delegates (the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Holland, as I remember) and the delegates of most member countries of the EU at least walked out when he began to touch on the subject of Israel. Yet, many others stayed, listened and applauded at the end of his speech. Moreover, the President of Switzerland dined with him. Neutrality is all very well if you use it to bridge the gaps between hostile parties, but when it is used in such a hypocritical manner and effectively encourages and supports a person like Ahmedinijad, then I'm afraid that's not what I call neutrality.

For the time being, Ahmedinijad is essentially our problem. That's how it started with Hitler too - and look where it all ended. Today Iran is our problem - if the rest of the world continues to close its eyes and pretend that working through diplomatic channels will solve the whole issue, then tomorrow he will be their problem. But by that time, it might be a little too late for us to say "We told you so..."

Happy Passover...and an interesting article

It's been quite some time since I last posted anything - must be a sign that things are quiet?
Here's an interesting article from our friends at the BBC. Their latest gem (which I am NOT attaching) described a person who tried to run over three policeman as an 'attacker' - where the quotation marks come from beats me. Unless of course trying to kill three people with your car is not really considered an attack in the UK. Now, what might it be? Causing a public nuisance... or maybe just being 'a very naughty person'...?

Anyway, this article is worth reading, especially the end...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7913313.stm