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Lithuanian MP sparks outrage with claims Jews perpetrated Nazi crimes

Sharon Gilad — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 06:57:23 +0000

A Lithuanian lawmaker from the country's ruling Homeland Union party has drawn widespread condemnation for claiming Jews took part in the Holocaust.

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In an opinion piece in the Lithuanian-language version of Russia's Sputnik news site on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Valdas Rakutis said, "There was no shortage of Holocaust perpetrators among the Jews themselves, especially in the ghetto self-government structures. We must name these people out loud and do our best to ensure that there are no people like them again."

Later Wednesday, Rakutis, who is also a historian, said he had sought to broaden the debate on collaborators in the Holocaust.

He told the Baltic News Service that Jews "were driven into ghettos, and ghettos had their administration." He noted, "Of course, this was no Jewish self-governance," saying, "It was a tool for the German nation."

"Naturally, the ghetto administration is not the most attractive thing and, naturally, [the Jewish people] had to survive in these conditions and had to make various decisions," he said.

Such examples of Nazi collaboration have significance "in the Holocaust mechanism," he said.

Lithuania's Foreign Minister and Homeland Union party head Gabrielius Landsbergis distanced himself from Rakutis' comments, telling BNS he was very angry about Rakutis' "lack of understanding."

"The parliamentarian's opinion has nothing to do either with my position or with the principles that the party I represent or the government I work in adhere to," he said.

Israeli Ambassador to Lithuania called Rakutis' remarks "insensitive" and "disturbing."

"This is sad for me after so many great people made such personal effort to show respect to the victims," he said.

The US envoy to Lithuania condemned Rakutis' remarks as "shocking" and shameful."

"It is shocking that on International Holocaust Remembrance Day of all days, a member of Seimas [the Lithuanian parliament] should espouse distortions regarding Holocaust collaborators in Lithuania and shamefully seek to accuse Jews of being the perpetrators," he tweeted.

Germany's Ambassador to Lithuania Matthias Sonn said it was "deeply shocking to see this common understanding distorted on Holocaust Remembrance Day, of all days, from within the Parliament of a European sister democracy."

"To even insinuate that the victims were to blame in any way for their own murderous persecution under Nazi German occupation is utterly unacceptable," he said.

Russia's mission to Vilna similarly condemned the remarks as "provocative" and "outrageous."

Over 90% of the over 208,000 Jews living in Lithuania were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators in the Holocaust.

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Palestinian Authority greenlights Russia's COVID vaccine

Noga Martin — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 05:22:32 +0000

The Palestinian Authority has approved the use of the Sputnik-5 COVID vaccine, developed by Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, according to a press release from the Russian Direct Investment Fund published Monday by Interfax news agency.

The RDIF said that the PA had expedited approval of the Russian vaccine, without conducting additional clinical trials in the PA. Representatives of the RDIF also said that similar expedited approval processes had been conducted in Argentina, Bolivia, Serbia, and Algeria. The vaccine has also been approved for use in Belarus.

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According to the press release, shipments of the Sputnik-5 vaccine were slated to be delivered to the PA in the first quarter of this year, and the first doses were scheduled to arrive by the end of January. The vaccines for the PA will be procured by the RDIF, India, China, South Korea, and other countries, the RDIF noted.

Last week, Israel Hayom reported that pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca had negotiated with PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh to supply enough of its own vaccine to vaccinate the entire Palestinian population in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – some 4 million doses. The PA is slated to receive another million or so doses from the international COVAX initiative, which pools resources to ensure that poor countries can secure vaccines.

According to the terms of the PA's deal with AstraZeneca, the nations that donate to the PA will underwrite the entire cost of the vaccine purchase, estimated to tally tens of millions of dollars.

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'Our ultimate goal is the establishment of a Palestinian state,' Russian FM says

Taliah Oz — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 06:52:37 +0000

"Normalization between Israel and the Arab states does not mean a resolution to the Palestinian issue must become a second priority," Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a meeting with his United Arab Emirates counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

"We are united in our opinion with the United Arab Emirates on the Palestinian issue. The normalization of Israel's ties with Arab states is gaining steam. Overall, this is of course a positive phenomenon because it eliminates longstanding disputes and establishes channels of cultural and legal communication," Lavrov said.

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The Russian ambassador, however, emphasized that Russia has always claimed that the Palestinian process cannot be pushed back "to a second priority and forgotten." He reiterated that the Palestinian issue must be solved on the basis of existing UN resolutions that should include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to be established alongside, and in peace and security with, the State of Israel.

According to Lavrov, the UAE foreign minister confirmed this had also been his country's position during talks to normalize ties with Israel. The Russian ambassador emphasized that the international community needed to help to kick start direct talks between the Palestinians and Israel.

To that end, Russia has repeatedly proposed renewing the work of the Quarter – comprised of representatives from Russia, the US, the UN, and the EU. Lavrov added that Moscow saw a need to share the Quartet's efforts with Arab League representatives. The Russian foreign minister said he had recently spoken with his UAE counterpart about establishing a quartet of Arab nations that would include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the UAE.

"I believe that we can and should combine the efforts of the international quartet with the Arab quartet to be established in order to agree to the conditions for renewing direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel," he said.

Lavrov said, "Our ultimate goal is the achievement of full normalization in the Middle East, the establishment of a Palestinian state, and the establishment of ties between Israel and all of the countries in the region."

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French Bulldog wins mayoral race in Kentucky town

Sharon Gilad — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 11:59:35 +0000

Wilbur Beast, a determined French bulldog, won the mayoral election race for the Boone County river community of Rabbit Hash, in Kentucky.

He will replace incumbent canine Mayor Brynneth Pawltro, a rescued pit bull who took office in 2017.

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Local media reported a record turnout of 22,985 votes. Wilbur received 13,143 votes, the highest winning total ever, defeating rivals Jack Rabbit, a beagle, and Poppy, a golden retriever, who came in second and third, respectively.

Officials with the Rabbit Hash Historical Society said in a statement on social media that Jack and Poppy were named Rabbit Hash ambassadors, along with Ambassador Lady Stone, a border collie who was elected into office last year.

The successful campaign makes Wilbur Rabbit Hash's fifth dog mayor. Before outgoing canine leader Brynn, there was border collie Lucy Lou, elected in 2008; Junior, a black Labrador; and the inaugural dog mayor, a mutt named Goofy.

Rabbit Hash has been holding canine mayoral elections every four years since 1998. The community's residents vote for their favorite doggie delegate by donating to the Rabbit Hash Historical Society. Each vote costs $1.

Wilbur's campaign raised a total of $6,165. The race raised a total of $13,156, said the historical society, which maintains buildings and oversees town events.

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Russia's chief rabbi contracts coronavirus, placed under supervision

ErezL — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 15:36:46 +0000

Russia's Chieff Rabbi Berel Lazar has been infected with the novel coronavirus, Russian media reported Sunday.

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"Rabbi Lazar has been diagnosed with the coronavirus infection. He is under medical supervision. His health is out of danger," the Russian state agency TASS quoted his media staff.

Lazar, 56, has been one of the main proponents of social distancing in Russia and has helped the government make the case for preventive measures against the pandemic, including by means of shutting down synagogues across the nation.

He is considered a close confidant of President Vladimir Putin.

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'Russia is constantly trying to arrest Israeli citizens'

YafitO — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 09:28:38 +0000

Russia will continue to use Israeli citizens as bargaining chips to advance their own political and diplomatic objectives, says former Israeli Ambassador Zvi Magen.

Naama Issachar, who was arrested in Russia during a layover, after 9.5 grams (0.3 oz) of cannabis were found in her luggage is facing 7.5 years in prison. Israel is trying to negotiate her release. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin asked President Vladimir Putin to commute her sentence.

"The Russians tried, and are constantly trying, to arrest Israeli citizens," Magen told Israel Hayom in an interview this week.

Magen, who served both as the Israeli envoy to Russia and Ukraine, said that there was nothing Israel could do but wait. "Everything that can be done to free Issachar, Israel has already done," he added.

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"Now, the question is, What does Russia want? Whoever started this offensive maneuver is of course Russia. The relationship is experiencing some tension, there are other occurrences of Russia using insults against Israel."

According to Magen, one such example was when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited President Vladimir Putin in Sochi last month, "and he had to wait a long time until President Vladimir Putin finally met him ... If we connect the dots, we get the picture that not everything is as calm as it seems."

Issachar's punishment "is not a legal decision, it is a political-diplomatic decision that was given to the court. The Russian court is not even a player in this scenario. ... The public in Israel is furious, and the Russians know this, and they are essentially 'poking us in the eye.'"

Magen stresses that "Issachar is a hostage to be used as a bargaining chip in any future exchanges," warning Israel should expect more such provocations.

"Russia's foreign policy strategy is based on taking advantage of a situation and creating crises," he continued.

According to Magen, "sooner or later they will release her. They will not drag out the situation past the necessary minimum time. Most likely it will happen within the coming days or weeks, or even months."

But the tensions will remain, he insisted.

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Twitter suspends accounts by several Iranian news agencies

Sharon Gilad — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 09:10:14 +0000

Twitter on Sunday announced it has suspended several accounts held by Iranian news agencies citing alleged harassment of people who follow the Baha'i faith.

The Farsi-language accounts of the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency; the Young Journalists Club (YJC), run by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting; and Mehr News Agency were suspended, the social media giant said.

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Some agencies, including Fars agency and English-language Press TV, remained active on the site.

According to the BBC, the affected agencies speculated that the suspensions were linked to their coverage of tensions in the Persian Gulf between Iran and the West.

A Twitter source confirmed to several news outlets that the accounts were suspended for the "coordinated and targeted harassment of people associated with Baha'i," which is a minority faith in Iran.

The Baha'i community in Iran numbers over 300,000, but Tehran does not recognize the religion, and its followers are harassed, prosecuted and imprisoned, Human Rights Watch said.

Twitter is banned in Iran, but many people continue to access it by using VPNs,

YJC linked the suspension to the brewing crisis in the Gulf, saying, "Many users believe that this is happening because of British pressure on the operators of this social network."

Mehr, a semiofficial news agency, said on its website that its Twitter accounts had been suspended "following publishing the seizure of a UK oil tanker by Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz."

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