Israeli bill would prohibit Nazi comparisons

[Violet_Crumble]

Draft legislation in Israel would make it a crime in the country to use the word "Nazi" or symbols of the Holocaust for purposes other than teaching.

There will be a preliminary hearing in parliament on Wednesday for the bill, which would impose penalties of up to six months in jail and a $25,000 fine.

The move comes a week after ultra-Orthodox Jews dressed in concentration camp uniforms to protest against alleged incitement against them.

The incident sparked outrage in Israel.

The national Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial denounced the use of Nazi imagery as "disgraceful", and several survivors' groups condemned it.

Six million Jews were killed by the Nazis during World War II. About 200,000 ageing survivors of the Holocaust live in Israel.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16488042

[bemildred]

1. Tempting idea, at least for a decade or two.

On the other hand, nobody will pay any attention to it, most of the time.

[oberliner]

2. Do you support or oppose this?

Curious to know your thoughts.

[Violet_Crumble]

11. I support it...

I'm not one of those advocates of free speech trumps all else, and Israel is a country where such a law is understandable. Another country directly affected by the Holocaust is Germany, where there's been similar laws around for quite a long time...

[Jefferson23]

3. Unhealthy need for control, up to six months in jail..amazing. n/t

[King_David]

4. I agree,

Exposing the morons should be enough.

[azurnoir]

5. while I agree that the Haredi demonstrators dressed in concentration camp uniforms

was disgraceful, I'm not all to certain this is the way to go as it is limiting free speech and it may well wind up with future demonstrators going to jail, something that would only add to problem

[alp227]

6. let's see American RW trash talk hosts defend this

they're lucky they don't live in Israel or else...

[bemildred]

7. That could get pretty funny ... nt

[Jefferson23]

8. Lawmakers advance legislation banning use of 'Nazi' symbols

The Knesset gave its preliminary approval yesterday to a series of controversial bills that would outlaw the use of the term "Nazi" as an epithet and the wearing of the Holocaust-era yellow star that the Nazis required Jews to wear.

The bills have the approval of the coalition, but have prompted sharp criticism by human rights groups who claim they violate free speech.

The Knesset vote follows a demonstration by ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem last week in which they wore yellow stars and dressed several children in concentration camp garb in an effort to protest what they saw as the victimization of their community. The backlash against the Haredim followed an outcry over women being forced to sit at the back of the bus on certain public bus lines that run through Haredi neighborhoods.

The proposed legislation would outlaw the public use of the term "Nazi" in all its forms as an epithet in connection with Nazism and would also include words that sound like the term "Nazi." The legislation would bar the wearing of the striped garb that concentration camp inmates wore during World War II and would ban depictions of the swastika or any other item clearly connected to Nazism. If the proposed legislation passes, violators would be subject to up to six months in prison and a NIS 100,000 fine.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/lawmakers-advance-legislation-banning-use-of-nazi-symbols-1.406821

[Donald Ian Rankin]

9. Let people be rude to one another. N.T.

[ellisonz]

10. Support. n/t