Bush-hating Democrat billionaire George "Regime Change" Soros blames Israel and the United States for anti-Semitism. Oh, and he says Jewish fat cats such as himself are also at fault.
"There is a resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe. The policies of the Bush administration and the Sharon administration contribute to that. It's not specifically anti-Semitism, but it does manifest itself in anti-Semitism as well. I'm critical of those policies," he said last week in New York in what Jewish Telegraphic Agency described as a "rare Jewish appearance."
"If we change that direction, then anti-Semitism also will diminish," he said in a speech to Jewish Funders Network. "I can't see how one could confront it directly."
The financier, in taking responsibility for anti-Semitism, cited recent rantings by Malaysia's lame-duck prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, who said, "Jews rule the world by proxy" and urged the world's Muslims to rise up and defeat Jews.
"I'm also very concerned about my own role because the new anti-Semitism holds that the Jews rule the world," Soros said. JTA noted that his "projects and funding have influenced governments and promoted various political causes around the world." His latest scheme is to topple Bush.
"As an unintended consequence of my actions," he said, "I also contribute to that image."
'Biased and Bigoted'
Soros' comments outraged some in the audience.
Anti-Defamation League's Abraham Foxman took a break from his full-time job of attacking Mel Gibson to call Soros' remarks "absolutely obscene."
"He buys into the stereotype," Foxman said. "It's a simplistic, counterproductive, biased and bigoted perception of what's out there. It's blaming the victim for all of Israel's and the Jewish people's ills.
"If he sees that his position of being who he is may contribute to the perception of anti-Semitism, what's his solution to himself — that he give up his money? That he close his mouth?"
"Let's understand things clearly: Anti-Semitism is not caused by Jews; it's caused by anti-Semites," said Elan Steinberg, senior adviser at World Jewish Congress. "One can certainly be critical of Bush policy or Sharon policy, but any deviation from the understanding of the real cause of anti-Semitism is not merely a disservice, but a historic lie."
But Mark Charendoff, president of Jewish Funders Network, said: "We found him to be enormously frank, candid and generous with his time. I would be delighted if Mr. Soros would bring his passion, his brilliance and his resources to a range of different causes that are important to the Jewish community."
After the speech, Michael Steinhardt, the real-estate tycoon and Jewish philanthropist who had invited Soros, elicited titters by saying, "George Soros does not think Jews should be hated any more than they deserve to be."
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