Greek paper calls Jews ‘Christ killers’

A weekly Greek newspaper called Jews “Christ killers” in an editorial about the Gaza conflict.

George Karatzaferis, the publisher of A1, also wrote in the Jan. 4 issue that “in less than 70 years the main victims of Hitler’s brutality turned into the same heinous murderers as their persecutor.”

Karatzaferis, the head of the far right political party LAOS, says that with some effort the Jews could be placed among the nations of justice, “but what do you expect from a race that crucified God the only time he came to earth.”

This is not the first time that Karatzaferis has attacked the Jews. On Dec. 29, his party issued a statement regarding the bombardment of Gaza that said, “Someone has to pull the ear of the darling child of the West, Israel. Its aggressiveness and malice against non-combatants, whose only precedent can be found during Hitler’s time, cannot leave the international community indifferent.” — jta

Mauritania recalls ambassador in Israel

The government of Mauritania is recalling its ambassador from Israel in the aftermath of the invasion of Gaza.

Mauritania is one of only three Arab League countries to have diplomatic ties with the Jewish state.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Babah Ould Sidi Abdalla said Jan. 5 that Mauritania’s ambassador in Tel Aviv had been ordered to return “for consultations.”

Abdalla declined to comment further and did not explicitly say the move was made in protest.

On Jan. 4, security forces fired tear gas to disperse people in Mauritania’s capital who were protesting the incursion into Gaza.

At least 10 civilians and several riot police were injured and hospitalized, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene. — jps

Swastikas painted on Berlin memorial

Berlin police say vandals have painted swastikas on some of the slabs that make up the German capital’s Holocaust memorial.

A police statement says security guards discovered the swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans on 12 slabs Jan. 3. Authorities ordered the graffiti’s swift removal.

The memorial to the Holocaust’s 6 million Jewish victims consists of a field of 2,700 gray slabs situated close to the capital’s Brandenburg Gate.

It opened to the public in 2005 and is freely accessible around the clock. Similar vandalism has occurred on several previous occasions. — jta