Sarah Stricker
YNet
Nov. 12, 2009
Anti-Zionist historian Prof. Ilan Pappe, one of the most important
"New Historians", was scheduled to speak last weekend at the
Pedagogical Institute of Munich. But a letter received from the
"Israeli-German association of Munich", claiming that Pappe's lecture
would turn into "an anti-Israeli propaganda show," led the Munich
Municipality to reconsider the event.
The municipality eventually did not let Pappe use the room, claiming
its decision was prompted by fears of violent clashes breaking out in
the area. The Munich police insisted that there was no danger of fear
for the security of those attending the lecture.
The Munich mayor refused to comment on the issue despite appeals from German media outlets. Pappe's associates eventually organized a room not owned by the authorities and the lecture took place as planned.
"We are not seeking to criticize Israel, only to hold an informative-
scientists discussion," one of the associates said.
Prof. Pappe wrote an open letter to the mayor, stating that "in the
1930s my father, a German Jew, was silenced in a similar manner, and I
am saddened to discover the same censorship in 2009."
Pappe noted in his letter that he had not experienced oppression or
such a strong desire to silence his opinion in any other European
country. He said that "a handful of people" attempted to frighten the
mayor, "people who view themselves as representatives of the Jewish
people and the disaster they went through in Europe."
'Words don't kill'
Germany's left-wing party, green party and the ATTAC organization,
which is against globalization, came to Pappe's defense and criticized
the mayor for giving in to the Jewish organization.
The green party referred to the mayor's move as "an act of political
cowardice." The local branch of Die Linke (the left-wing party) said
that although sensitivity must be shown in terms of Jewish interests
in Germany, "the attempt to defend Israel against criticism by
preventing information from reaching people is unthinkable."
Pappe told Ynet about his bad feelings following the incident. "The
lecture was held in a different place in Germany, not where it was
initially supposed to take place, in a room owned by the municipality.
I was surprised by the fact that the municipality was the one to
invite me and that a letter sent by some people, and I have no idea if
they included Israelis or not, led to a last-minute cancellation," he
said.
According to the professor, "It's very strange that a lecture should
be prevented due to fear of criticism against Israel. This is the
reason, it's obvious to everyone, but why cancel? Words don't kill,
but rather open the mind.
"If they wanted, why didn't they bring someone from the embassy to
present the opposite stand and contradict my remarks? This hasn't
happened to me even in Israel, so it's even peculiar".