The American Board of Rabbis Condemns SC Senator Ernest Hollings Blatant Anti-Semitism and Call for His Immediate Resignation
By unanimous vote, the American Board of Rabbis drafted a resolution demanding that Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings immediately resign his position in the Senate, and further demand that the Democratic Party condemn Hollings blatant and overt anti-Semitism, as well.
New York (PRWEB) May 25, 2004 -- The American Board of Rabbis (ABR) condemned
the words and action of South Carolina Democrat Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, who at
82, has continued his career of anti-Semitic diatribes against Jews and the
State of Israel. By a unanimous vote taken on Monday, May 24, the ABR drafted a
resolution demanding that Senator Hollings immediately resign his position in
the Senate, and further demand that the Democratic Party condemn Hollings
blatant and overt anti-Semitism, as well.
In a speech Friday on the
Senate floor, for the second time this month, Senator Hollings suggested that
presidents and lawmakers for years have followed Jewish policies prescribed by
the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Hollings cries of a
"Jewish cabal" are reminiscent of age-old anti-Jewish conspiracy theories --
alleged Israeli/Jewish plans for world domination or allegations of Israeli
actions that are eerily similar to medieval blood libels. According to Rabbi
Mordechai Friedman, President of the American Board of Rabbis, "His presence
taints the entire Senate as a mockery of American Liberty."
Hollings also
suggested that President George Bush agreed to the war plan to secure Jewish
votes for his re-election campaign. Even Senator John Kerry's New York campaign
co-chair, former New York City mayoral candidate Mark Green, said Sunday that
Kerry should denounce Hollings for a column he wrote earlier this month blaming
the Iraq war on Israel. "It was wrong and all good faith Americans - Jewish or
not - should denounce it," stated Green. But, Kerry has refused thus far to
repudiate Hollings' statements.
The truth is that in his 38 years in the
Senate, Hollings has track record of voting against Israel, and even once, on
the Senate floor, referred to Jewish colleague Senator Howard Metzenbaum, as the
"senator from B'nai B'rith." Time and again he has made remarks that offended
Blacks, Hispanics, Japanese, and African leaders – and he has apologized each
and every time, retracting his statements. Yet to his most recent statements,
published in three South Carolina newspapers, Senator Hollings said, "I don’t
apologize for this column. I want them to apologize to me for talking about
anti-Semitism."
According to Rabbi Mordechai Friedman, President of the
American Board of Rabbis, "It is pathetic that such an anti-Semitic pariah such
as Hollings is permitted to stay for one day longer and cast votes on matters of
life and death for US troops and civilians. He is a disgrace to the Senate, and
a disgrace to our Nation." Rabbi Friedman continues, "Hollings is an unpatriotic
disgrace to the American Flag and if he does not immediately resign, he should
be impeached. Furthermore, in Genesis, G-d tells Abraham, the founder of the
Jewish people, 'I will bless those who bless you [Israel] and him who curses you
[Israel], I will curse.' And by cursing the Jewish people, Hollings has invoked
the wrath of G-d upon himself."
Contact:
Rabbi Mordechai
Friedman
(646) 996-4040
American Board of Rabbis
292 5th Avenue -
4th Floor
New York, New York 10001
Tel (212) 714-3598
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/5/prweb128622.htm