Hezbollah snubs Arabic version of Anne Frank's diary in Lebanon

[Behind the Aegis]

An international organization fighting against Holocaust denial condemned on Wednesday a campaign of intimidation by the militant Hezbollah group over the distribution of Anne Frank's diary in Lebanon.

The world-famous book was recently translated into Arabic and Farsi by the Paris-based Aladdin Project, which aims to spread awareness of the Holocaust and counter racism and intolerance.

The Lebanese militant group raised a fuss over the diary, the second campaign recently by Hezbollah against books it deems offensive.
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The Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar TV last week called on Lebanese judicial authorities to prosecute those responsible for the distribution of the book here, blasting its theatrical and dramatic narration in an emotional way.

Naim al-Qalaani from Hezbollah's Committee for the Boycott of Zionist Goods in Lebanon told the TV the book's distribution was a flagrant violation and a move toward normalization with Lebanon's archenemy, Israel.

more...

[proteus_lives]

1. How surprising.....not.

Both Hezbollah and Hamas don't want the civilians (that they use and abuse) to view the Jewish people as normal humans. That might lead to peace and they don't want that.

[LeftishBrit]

2. 'to counter racism and intolerance'...

Well, according to Hezbollah, obviously we can't have that!

'a move toward normalization with Lebanon's archenemy, Israel.'

Tut tut tut!!!

[azurnoir]

3. Hezbollah condemns an Arabic translaation of TDAF

seems odd in a way because

from the article

The diary of Anne Frank has been sold in Lebanon for years, both in English and in earlier translations into Arabic, and it was not clear why Hezbollah's TV chose to highlight its existence in the country now.

well we'll all just have to tune in to Al-Manar and find out huh?
except at least in the US you can't its blocked

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. Geez, BTA... thanks for making me spit diet coke all over my laptop!

Is this one of those discussions where we are required to pretend that Jewish history is completely disconnected from Israeli history?... you know the ones where when people out that Israel's military conquests have probably resulted in the population not caring about Jewish suffering in previous generations are told there should be no connection?

[oberliner]

5. Do you think The Diary of Anne Frank ought to be prevented from being distributed in Lebanon?

Do you think the distribution of that book in Lebanon ought to be against the law?

[azurnoir]

8. The Diary of Anne Frank is availble in Lebanon and in Arabic

and has been for years that is makes the whole thing kind of odd as was pointed out in the article

[oberliner]

13. Do you think that is a good thing?

Or do you support groups that are attempting to restrict its distribution?

[azurnoir]

16. Say what?

No I think the book should be available, anywhere including Gaza

[ProgressiveMuslim]

22. As should Mila 18. nt

[azurnoir]

27. by all means yes it should

and it was a good book too

[ProgressiveMuslim]

29. I always wonder

... what lessons people like BTA think Palestinians, or poor Lebanese draw from studying the Holocaust?

IN any case, if it weren't for reading the Diary of Anne Frank, I never would have met my husband!

[Behind the Aegis]

6. No need to thank me.

I doubt it was my post that made you spew, more likely you choked on your own bile.

[LeftishBrit]

7. This isn't just 'not caring', but active suppression of the information.

[azurnoir]

9. How is it suppression the book is and has been availible

unless Hezbollah is actively pulling off of bookshelves, its an offensive commercial and little more

[LeftishBrit]

10. OK - they are advocating suppression, not actually doing it

An important distinction, as I doubt that Hezbollah would in fact have serious power to suppress a book in Lebanon right at the moment. Still, they obviously object to the book being made available at all.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

11. Do you see a parallel in thinking in the way Israeli authorities wish to exclude Nakba info

from their history studies?

What I hate about these OPs is the faux incomprehension.

Seriously. Do you honestly think after what Israel has done to Southern Lebanon, that Hezbollah is going to want to widely distribute books like Anne Frank's diary?

Am I shocked that the gov't of Israel will exclude Nakbah narratives in its telling of the events of the 1940s? Of course not.

Do I agree with those decisions? Of course not. My own journey to being a pro-Palestinian activist began with Anne Frank, as a matter of fact.

[oberliner]

15. Does Israel suppress the distribution of books about it?

If so, I would join you in opposing that.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

17. Wasn't there a recent OP about the supression of info in textbooks? That has even worse

repercussions, IMO.

[Alamuti Lotus]

18. Yes, and actively fights the mere reference of the Nakba

Since in their wonderland version of history it was a great time and not a monumental tragedy.

[oberliner]

19. That is completely false

There are countless books available in the subject in Israel.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

21. True. The Israeli gov't is still very involved in limiting knowledge of the subject.

Israel pulls textbook with chapter on Nakba
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Violet_Crumble]

25. No, it wasn't. Yr replying to something they didn't say...

The Israeli govt has indeed removed sections from Israeli textbooks that refer to the Nakba, which is what the poster you replied to said. You appear to be replying to some imaginary post that said 'There are no books at all in Israel about the Nakba as they've all been removed from distribution'. Until a post that says that appears in this thread, maybe you should hold yr prebuilt response in reserve and not use it on a post that was saying something completely different?

[IndianaGreen]

12. Why would someone post an article like the OP in this forum?

It has nothing whatsoever to do with the I/P conflict.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[oberliner]

14. My thoughts exactly

A post like this ought to be in GD.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

20. BTA thinks I/P is an "antisemtism" forum. That's why.

[Behind the Aegis]

23. Why don't you stick to speaking for yourself.

You really suck pretending to know what I think. BTW, the OP isn't about anti-Semitism. Talk about having no clue.

[Behind the Aegis]

24. hmmm....

IndianaGreen (1000+ posts) Thu Oct-29-09 10:43 PM
Response to Reply #2
13. Since these religious wackos are of the same mold as the evil settlers
it sure belongs in this forum.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Actually, Djinn has the better answer:

Djinn (1000+ posts) Sun Nov-01-09 09:55 PM
Response to Reply #5
21. try posting ANYTHING
Edited on Sun Nov-01-09 09:55 PM by Djinn
with the words "Israel" or "Palestine" in it - even if it's got zilch to do with the "conflict" anywhere other than the I/P dungeon and see how fast it gets pulled.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Violet_Crumble]

26. I think Indy may have been sarcastic...at least I hope so...

fwiw, if I find an article that isn't directly related to the I/P conflict, but is more about the Middle East in general, or Antisemitism or Islamophobia, I'm going to post them here in the I/P forum and if the mods feel the urge they can move them elsewhere. But what I've found over time is that something posted in the I/P forum is likely to get less of the extreme in either direction sort of responses and won't sink like a rock amongst all the balloon boy/Britney/whatever else pop culture wise is going on threads in the big forums...

On the OP itself - It's no surprise that Hezbollah would advocate banning this book. Not sure why they've chosen now to kick up a stink when it's been available in Lebanon for years, nor what they find offensive about it, but I'd be much more shocked if they'd announced they were going to help print and distribute it to schools coz that would be really out of character. Hopefully the Lebanese govt will never ban it and kids will continue to read it and get an understanding about how other kids suffered during the Holocaust....

[ConsAreLiars]

28. I'm certain that the motivation is the same as those who

post some report about an Israeli tourist being injured in a third country and whine about any post that suggests that Israel is less than purely holy. Or post about some Israel-native scientist whose collaborative research at U of Chicago seems useful. The supremacists have carte blanche here.

[Vegasaurus]

30. Surely you did not mean to use the word "supremacists", did you?

That was some slight slip of tongue, or keyboard?