world

Detractors from page 29

A Polish Jewish survivor, bottom right, sits in the audience of mostly Polish

Catholic survivors during the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the Auschwitz-

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30

June 1 • 2006

Birkenau concentration camp.

decade. The main media supporter
of the government, Radio Maryja was
chastised by the Polish Conference of
Bishops in April after a station com-
mentator lambasted Jews and their
"Holocaust business."
Then there's the shop underneath
the church across from Warsaw's main
synagogue selling literature that ques-
tions Jewish patriotism, and although
anti-Semitic graffiti has declined
exponentially since the mid-1990s, an
Israeli Embassy employee pointed out
a central Warsaw tram scribbling that
said "Gays are Jews" not far from a
Star of David in a noose.
To counter this negative image, gov-
ernment officials emphasize Poland's
support of interfaith initiatives, as well
as Jewish institutions and gatherings.
But there's no escaping Giertych,
who is abhorred by most Poles and
Jews alike. During the pope's visit, he
said on the radio that he planned to
require high school students to pass

a "religious exam," which means a
Catholic knowledge test, in order to
graduate.
When Giertych came to see the
pope at Auschwitz-Birkenau, he
seemed puzzled when asked by
reporters about his anti-Semitic
image. "I am a lawyer and have many
Jewish friends. I drink beer with
them:' he said.
Asked if he had a message for those
worried about the anti-Semitic nature
of his party, he said, "That's why I am
here today',' adding, "I am a friend of
the Jewish nation."
Meanwhile, many Polish Jews told
reporters they are sick of Americans
painting their country as the epicen-
ter of anti-Semitism when the reality
was they had never had any anti-
Jewish experiences. "Jews and Poles
suffered together like a family then,
and they live together like a family
now," Mandelbaum said after the cer-
emony.

❑

Patients Call Off Strike

Jerusalem/JTA — A hunger strike
by Israeli cancer patients was called
off after the government agreed to
boost state-funded treatment.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on
Monday ordered $75 million added to
the 2006 "health basket" of medica-
tions covered by the state. The funding
meant a reprieve for Israeli colon-can-
cer sufferers who until now have had
to pay thousands of shekels a month
for some of their treatments. Several
patients had set up camp outside the

Knesset more than two weeks ago and
went on a hunger strike in protest. But
there was partisan rancor at the pros-
pect that Olmert would provide the
money by cutting the defense budget.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz,
whose Labor Party is chief coali-
tion partner in the Olmert govern-
ment, voiced outrage at the decision,
prompting speculation that the gov-
ernment could have trouble passing
its budget.