Jew to Sue Over Insult

Jew to Sue Over Insult

Austria’s Haider Rebuked for Jew Remark

from YAHOO! News
March 11th 2001

VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel criticized
right-wing politician Joerg Haider on Sunday for a verbal attack on a Jewish
leader that has been widely branded as anti-Semitic.

Schuessel distanced himself from a punning reference in a speech by Haider
to the first name of Ariel Muzicant, leader of Austria’s Jewish community,
and the name of a well-known washing powder.

“I am against playing with (words on) anti-Semitism, racism and other such
things. These are delicate matters and we must be very prudent,” he said in
response to a question in an interview on Austria’s ORF television.

“Everything pointing in this direction must be rejected. It is not my
style,” said the chancellor, who was helped into power 13 months ago by
Haider’s anti-immigrant Freedom Party.

But Schuessel declined to state clearly if he thought Haider’s remarks
anti-Semitic and said it was up to the outspoken politician to decide
whether or not he should apologize to Muzicant, who said he would “sue
Haider to shreds.”

Haider, in a beer hall speech on February 28, said: “I don’t understand how
someone whose name is Ariel can have so much dirt sticking to him.”

The German expression “Dreck am Stecken haben” can mean “to have
skeletons in the closet,” implying a shady past.

The Freedom Party, which Haider still dominates despite resigning as party
leader last year, said the remarks were not anti-Semitic but referred to the
fact that the Jewish community has substantial debts.

Muzicant reaffirmed in an interview with the Austrian weekly magazine Format
Sunday that he would sue Haider for insulting him, saying he had cut the
debt of the Jewish community and that his business as a real estate agent
was perfectly legal.

“I have never been involved in any acts that were dubious or subject to
legal action,” Muzicant was quoted as saying. “I am as little a speculator
as any other real estate agent in Vienna. What kind of nonsense is this?

“I will sue Haider to shreds.”

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