A slap that Sarajevo only fired itself? – Region
Sarajevo was found in the center of controversy after the maintenance of the European Rabbin conference was canceled. The organizers say it is a loss for the city, and individuals claim that the gathering had a political background.
The main rabbi Pinca Goldshmith expressed shock and disappointment due to a sudden cancellation of the conference. He pointed out that the meeting of the Standing Committee of the European Conference of Rabbin (CER) in Sarajevo Swissotels (France, Germany, Netherlands, UK) to discuss key issues affecting the life of the Jews in Europe, as well as the topics of religious freedoms and freedom of beliefs.
« Shocking, the hotel suddenly canceled us, adding that the events organized by CER encourage dialogue, interreligious cooperation and public engagement, and that the conference is » loss for Sarajevo « . Goldšmit went and a step further, declaring that « Bosnia and Herzegovina after such an embarrassing persecution of a European religious community should certainly be disqualified and excluded from the European Union’s accession process. »
Different reactions before and after cancellation
The Minister of Labor and Social Welfare of the Federation of BiH, Adnan Delic, said « Sarajevo must not be a stage for support for genocide ». According to him, the conference, although announced as a « message message », was a « attempt to get the symbols of resistance, survival and human endurance, a message to legitimize a genocidal creation and their shameful parties against humanity. »
He stressed that it is « directly contrary to everything Sarajevo is », and that it is « trying to send the message of legitimizing the occupation and systemic destruction of the Palestinian people ».
Jakob Finci: « Sarajevo only fired the slap »
The President of the Jewish community in BiH, Jakob Finci, was surprised that the conference was held in Sarajevo, although he reminded, great Islamic and Catholic religious meetings. He believed that Sarajevo, and after 450 years of the presence of Jews, opened a city for all free-spirited people.
« It is uncomfortable with » statements requested by the ban on Gaza 7. October 2023. Finci also emphasizes that in Sarajevo, if others can maintain conferences in Sarajevo in Sarajevo, why they could not be Jews, who are indigenous people in BiH.
« Before every prayer, everything starts and ends with a word ‘joke’, meaning peace. This is a sad slap that only fired Sarajevo, » Finci concluded himself.
Adnan Huskić: « Wrong decision »
The professor of political science and international relations, Adnan Huskić believes that the action of certain intellectuals, but also officials, harms Sarajevo was applied as an open-city idea.
« The SWISSôTELA MANAGEMENT DECISION to cancel the hospitality of the European Conference of Rabbi is completely wrong. I will be guaranteed by the Opinion of BiH. Or we will make the state of the European artist, or we will be closed in the middle, » Huskić says for DW.
Our interlocutor believes that it was meant to be able to maintain a set, even with police protection, as well as potential protests if someone wanted to organize them for disagreement with the messages of the set.
« And the way this is immediately interpreted in the letter of the European Conference of Rabbi, including the invitation to ban EU joining, shows that this is a set of failure, » says Huskić.
Sharp Criticism on Israeli and Controversy on Network
Academician Esad Duraković was one of the loudest critics of the Conference Announcement. He assessed that the purpose of the conference was actually supporting the « State of Genocide in Gaza » and people not aware that this is uncomprehensible and politically – for Bosniaks primarily! Straighten so much.
Durakovic believes that Bosniaks « are not aware of the reality in which they live » and that they could be exposed to « executive attacks of Islamophobia – to extermination ».
Dragan Miokovic: « Sarajevo did not ban for visits »
The Chairman of the BiH Department of Parliament, Dragan Mioković, did not oppose the conference maintenance, but clearly presented his position on the East Events. He repeated that « Israeli regime, through IDF (Israeli defense forces), continuously and planned, inadmissible long and beastly affectionately, in Gaza makes genocide ».
However, Mioković reminds that BiH has diplomatic relations with Israel and that in BiH and Sarajevo, also came to the « many more radical advocates of Zionism from European Rabs ». It points out that BiH is a member of the European Conference of Rabina and that there are many years of cooperation.
It is interesting its comparison: « Sarajevo has never banned him to the liberties who have blessed war crimes and whose religious generic people have never called the real name, but also the genocide in Srebrenica relativized or completely denied. »
The case of cancellation of the European Conference of Rabin in Sarajevo reveals deep divisions within the Bosnian society, especially when issues of faith, politics and memories of past conflicts are connected. While they see a moral obligation in the conviction of Israeli operations in Gaza and the protection of the Palestinian people, others fear the reputation of Sarajevo as an open and multicultural city, and warn of potential consequences for Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union.
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