Timerman Decries Lack of Jewish Response to Rising Anti-semitism

Jacobo Timerman, the Argentine publisher who was imprisoned without charges for more than two years, warned yesterday that the danger of rising anti-Semitism all over the world represents a situation similar to the one Jews faced in the 1930’s — and that now, as then, the Jewish response has been passivity and silence.

Timerman voiced this concern at a luncheon in his honor at which he was presented the 1982 Human Rights Award of Americans for Progressive Israel-Hashomer Hatzair, the American affiliate of Mapam, and its sister organizations, the Givat Haviva Educational Foundation and Kibbutz Artzi. Timerman also received a Proclamation of the New York State Legislature honoring him for his defense of human rights.

REPEATING MISTAKES OF THE 1930’S

Timerman, a member of Hashomer Hatzair since his youth, told the audience of over 400 people, including many union representatives, that the “Jewish establishment” leaders are repeating the same mistakes of the 1930’s in not speaking out forcefully against anti-Semitism everywhere.

“The Jewish establishment does not want to accept the existence of anti-Semitism — criminal aggression against the Jewish people — unless it coincides with its needs for an anti-Communist campaign,” he said. “They do not denounce anti-Semitism occurring in fascist countries, only in Communist countries.”

The former publisher and editor of La Opinion of Buenos Aires, now a resident of Tel Aviv, said that, in the case of Argentina, the Jewish establishment “does not say a word about Jews in prison” because Argentina is a “client” of Israel’s armaments industry. Timerman also said that Israel’s armaments industry is “working against the people of Latin America,” particularly El Salvador and Guatemala, in selling arms to these governments.

UNION LEADER WARNS OF NEW HOLOCAUST

David Livingston, president of District 65 of the AFL-CIO, told the audience that Timerman’s book, “Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number,” “reminds us what it means to be a Jew in a world which does not have a place for Jews.” Timerman, he continued, “has reminded us that the Holocaust could happen momentarily — and anywhere.”

The luncheon also featured the announcement that the sponsoring organizations’ 1982 Human Rights Award was also being given to Helen Suzman, a member of the South African Parliament for 28 years, for her work against apartheid there. Moshe Kagan, chairman of the API’s policy committee, said Suzman has fought valiantly for human rights in South Africa. The award was accepted for Suzman, who could not attend the luncheon, by Leo Nevas, vice president of the International League for Human Rights.