Finkelstein discussion in Germany

[Carl Remick]

>Below is an article from the (conservative) Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
>
>Unwelcome Readers
>
>By Lorenz Jäger
>
>[snip]
>
>Johannes Fried, chairman of the German historians' association, pointed out
>that as matters stood, the Finkelstein debate was not on the conference
>agenda. The association had an open mind on the matter if a debate was
>wanted, he added.
>
>Wolfgang Benz, director of the Berlin Technical University's Center for
>Research into Anti-Semitism, sees the debate less as a matter for 
>historians
>than as a problem of political culture. Whereas in the U.S. the debate is
>taking place on the left side of the spectrum, where both Finkelstein and
>Hitchens see themselves, Benz is worried about the applause that 
>Finkelstein
>attracts from the average armchair warrior in Germany.

I don't think it's accurate to say that this debate is restricted to the 
left in the U.S.  I was quite surprised to see Commentary run an article 
entitled "Holocaust Reparations -- A Growing Scandal" by Gabriel Schoenfeld, 
senior editor of the mazazine.  The article states in part:

" ... the restitution effort now being pushed forward by U.S.-based Jewish 
organizations contributes nothing to Israel's security. Conceivably, it may 
even harm it. For many years now, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland have 
been staunch supporters of Israel in a Europe that has been less than 
friendly to the Jewish state. The arm-twisting, the threats of boycott, the 
bad press -- some of it undeserved, and some of it undertaken for the naked 
aim of extracting money -- cannot but leave a distinct impression on 
European minds."

Full text is at http://www.commentarymagazine.com/0009/schoenfeld.html

Carl

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