The Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yona Metzger, was shocked to discover that the Dutch Freedom Party, headed by pro-Zionist Geert Wilder, is getting on the "Ban Shechita" bandwagon. He wrote a clearly critical letter to Mr. Wilder, which Arutz Sheva has received and presents below:
To Mr. Geert Wilders, Leader of the Freedom Party
House of Parliament
The Hague
The Nethetlands
Dear Mr. Wilders.
Both the Dutch rabbinate, as well as the leadership of the Dutch Jewish community, have extensively updated me on the status of the political debate on ritual slaughter in Holland.
I am aware of the fact that the bill to ban ritual slaughter was initiated by the Animal Party and managed to get a majorityi n the Lower House.Before the bill went to the Senate a compromise was worked out by the deputy minister of agriculture that was accepted and signed by the leadership of the Dutch Jewish and Muslim community.
Because of that, ALL the parties in the senate- with the exception of the initiator of the bill and your Freedom Party- voted against a ban and in favor of the compromise.
I am shocked and upset to learn that your party once again has adopted a total ban on ritual slaughter in its platform for the September 12th upcoming general elections.
By doing so, [it] makes the Freedom Party (except for the Animal Party) the only one in your country that excludes the Jews of [sic] the "Freedom" you claim to stand for.
Ritual slaughter and kosher food is an essential part of Jewish life, religion and tradition. By denying Jews [the right] to live according to the Torah, you will eventually force them to leave the Netherlands where they enjoyed religious freedom for centuries and are living since the 12thc entury.
Furthermore, the animal rights spokesman of your faction, Mr. Dion Graus, has announced in various statements and interviews that after a total ban on ritual slaughter has become law in the Netherlands, he will also work on legislation to prohibit import of kosher meat from abroad.
Not a single party in Europe has gone that far!! I am shocked to read the statements Mr. Graus made during the parliamentary debate.He repeatedly kept on accusing Jews of "ritual torture" of animals.
This is the classical anti-Semitic way our rites have been targeted and demonized throughout history. Jews torturing animals or murdering non- Jewish kids because their blood was needed to bake matzot for the Jewish Passover!
Dear Mr. Wilders, I am fully aware of your firm support of the Jewish state of Israel and do respect and thank you for this. But one cannot separate between the Jewish state and the Jewish people.
I therefore do urge you strongly to remove the total ban on ritual slaughter from your party platform and publicly disassociate yourself from Mr. Dion Graus who is called by the president of the Amsterdam Jewish community "a danger to the interests of Dutch Jews and Jewry in Europe at large".
It is obvious that one cannot be at the same time a friend of Israel and the Jewish people and on the other hand support an anti- Jewish law and be friends with Mr. Dion Graus.
I hope to hear from you a.s.a.p.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Yonah Metzger