Agriculture Minister Makis Voridis has rejected allegations of anti-Semitism leveled against him by the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS), the umbrella organization for Greek Jews.
The General Secretary of KIS, Victor Eliezer, said to News24/7 that the Central Board is not very happy with Voridis’ appointment to the new cabinet.
“There is a dark past and we publicly urge him to renounce his anti-Semitic past”, Eliezer said.
In reply to this Voridis issued the following statement:
“I have never been an anti-Semite. I have however served for many years in political parties and organizations in the nationalist front and I have politically coexisted with people who held unacceptable ideas of this sort.
I denounce any action, omission or tolerance to any action by a third-party that could be interpreted as anti-Semitic or neo-Nazi,” he added.
In addition, the minister said “I would like to point out the following to Mr. Eliezer, in hope that his concerns will be eased”:
“As a member of the OSCE Parliamentary Committee, and in agreement with my colleagues at Knesset, I have for three consecutive years suggested the rejection of the Palestinian Authority’s request to become a member of the assembly and I have indiscriminately and systematically supported the condemnation of anti-Semitism. My Israeli colleagues are aware of this.
I have spoken in parliament against the so-called anti-racist law, recognizing as its only positive aspect the criminalization of Holocaust denial.
I am the only Greek politician who has supported, in writing, the transfer of the Greek Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
I am the only Greek politician who supports the establishment of a defensive and not only strategic alliance with Israel
I am the only Greek politician who has opposed Israel’s conviction for incidents in Gaza.
After the above, I hope that any concerns have been resolved.”
