The Simon Wiesenthal Center today protested the recent appearance of a deeply-anti-Semitic article on the “Požega Online” website which mocked the Center’s efforts to bring former Požega police chief Milivoj Ašner to justice and its demands that the vandalized and neglected local Jewish cemetery be restored.
In a letter sent today to Croatian ambassador to Israel Ivan Del Vechio, the Center’s chief Nazi-hunter, Israel director Dr. Efraim Zuroff, whose initiatives on the above issues are the focus of the attacks in the article, calls upon the Croatian authorities to take measures to prevent the appearance of such articles on Croatian websites and to educate the public against such phenomenon.
According to Zuroff:
“The text of the article speaks for itself. It is a classic example of the kind of primitive anti-Semitism, which existed in Croatia in the past, but which we hoped had disappeared forever. Unfortunately that does not appear to be the case. It is bad enough that people harbor anti-Semitic sentiments, but how can such hatred appear on an official website?
“As a native of Požega who has helped in the refurbishing of the local Jewish cemetery, I am certain that you will do your best to deal with this shameful incident. In that regard, while fixing stones and cemeteries is important, the ultimate challenge is to take the necessary measures to wipe out the anti-Semitism which leads to disgusting articles of this sort.”
For more information call +972-50-7214156.