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World Jewish News
Vandalism at Jewish Sites in Belarus Right Before Lieberman's Visit
08.06.2009
Another pogrom on the Jewish cemetery in Belarus took place the day before the arrival of Avidor Lieberman in Minsk. This is the fourth act of vandalism against Jewish objects within the last 50 days. The leader of the Jewish community of Belarus Leonid Levin: "These are the anti-Semitic parts of one chain."
On June 2, 2009 on the Jewish cemetery in the city of Borisov (Svetlova Street) 13 graves were destroyed and desecrated - 3 tombstones broken and 10 brought down. "This fact has already been investigated under Art. 347 Part 1 'The desecration of graves,'" said the Chairman of the local Jewish community Michael Perets. Today there are two Jewish cemeteries in Borisov, where burials take place in accordance with national traditions. These and other cases of vandalism against Jewish sites were reported by the IzRus portal with reference to sources in the Union of Belarusian Jewish Organizations and Communities (UBJOC).
According to this Jewish umbrella organization of Belarus, this is the fourth case of the desecration of Jewish monuments and community institutions of the.Republic within the last month and a half
While visiting Minsk, the Foreign Minister of Israel Avigdor Lieberman stressed at a press conference on June 4: "For us is very important to preserve the historical truth of World War II, it is impossible to constantly rewrite the history and deny the Holocaust." Lieberman thanked the Belarusian side for the restoration of the memorial of the victims of Minsk ghetto. The Head of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs laid wreaths to the memorial "Yama" in memory of the Jews of Minsk - the victims of the Holocaust.
It is important to note that in October 2008 in Belarus, the public ceremonies in connection with the 65th anniversary of the destruction of Minsk ghetto were held. Mourning events were organized by the Government of the Republic, and the President Alexander Lukashenko personally took part in them. Thus, the acts of vandalism against Jewish sites and other facilities aimed also at discrediting the President's efforts, who is trying to develop and strengthen relations with the Jewish community of Belarus and the State of Israel.
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