Belgian Parliament
Battles Over Amnesty
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AD 194
Brussels (JTA) — Reacting
to the country's current po-
litical and moral debate on a
sharply divisive issue,
Belgium's Jewish commun-
ity has expressed its opposi-
tion to the idea of providing
amnesty to the thousands of
Belgians who collaborated
with the Nazis during World
War II.
The Coordinating Com-
mittee for Belgian Jewish
Organizations said in a
statement that it stands in
firm opposition to any gen-
eral form of amnesty.
Providing amnesty to
collaborators, the Jewish
committee said, would mean
that "there had been no
offense."
The umbrella group for the
Belgian Jewish community
further stated that "washing
out these bad deeds is a slap
for all the victims of
Nazism."
The issue of amnesty was
raised after King Albert of
Belgium, in a New Year's
speech, recalled that his
deceased brother, King
Baudouin, had hinted in a
1990 speech at taking mea-
sures "that could contribute
to reconciliation between all
citizens."
The remark was inter-
preted by some as a new ap-
peal for clemency for the
Belgians who helped the
Nazi regime.
The issue is one of the most
sensitive in Belgian politics,
and it is certain to arouse
more controversy later this
year when Belgium com-
memorates the 50th an-
niversary of its liberation
from the Nazis.
After World War II, some
242 Belgians were executed
for collaborating with the
Nazis.
The amnesty debate has
created an ideological split
over the years, dividing the
Flemish and the French-
speaking part of the country.
The Flemish Nationalist
Movement has pressured the
authorities to grant amnesty
to collaborators, but suc-
cessive governments have
never taken the step for fear
that it would create a polit-
ical crisis within the coun-
try's coalition government.
But this time, King
Albert's speech was ap-
plauded by the head of the
Flemish regional govern-
ment, Luc van den Brande,
and by Belgian Prime Min-
ister Jean-Luc Dehaene.
The prime minister recent-
ly announced in the Parlia-
ment that he will start
discussions in the next few
weeks "in order to come up
with proposals" for granting
amnesty.
Although Dehaene ap-
peared to be determined to
take time to study the issue,
his party, the Christian
Democrats, has already an-
nounced its proposals.
Dolly Retracts
Statement
New York (JTA) — Country
singer and actress Dolly
Parton has apologized for
comments she made in an
interview with
Vogue magazine about Jews
in Hollywood.
Parton told the magazine
during an interview that she
had thought about doing a
television series about a
country singer who turns
into a gospel singer.
But, she said, she aban-
doned the idea because
"everyone's afraid to touch
anything that's religious be-
cause most of the people out
here (in Hollywood) are Jew-
ish, and it's a frightening
thing for them to promote
Christianity."
Abraham Foxman, the na-
tional director of the Anti-
Defamation League, wrote
Parton a letter in which he
said that her comments in-
voke "the old anti-Semitic
stereotype of Jewish control
of Hollywood and hostility
towards Christianity." -
Foxman added that be-
cause she was a celebrity,
Parton's comments could
have great influence on
many Americans.
Parton responded to Fox-
man's letter, apologizing for
her remarks.
"I know from personal ex-
perience how stereotypes
can hurt and I regret that
my words could have con-
jured up an impression of
Jewish 'control' of
Hollywood," wrote Parton.
"Like all Americans of
good will, I recognize the
importance of rejecting pre-
judice and strengthening the
ideal of community and
mutual respect among all
our people," she wrote. Par-
ton added that her corn-
ments were "misinterpreted
by a number of people."
❑