Mikis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis (Μίκης

Political quotations

On allegations concerning his "anti-Semitism"

Official statement by Mikis Theodorakis, after the polemics concerning his anti-Semitism had started on November 11 2003:

Related Topics:
November 11 - 2003

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Declaration

:"My opinion of the Israeli people, as on all things, has always been known and I am frankly at a loss as to why such a great commotion was made this time, as if it was heard for the first time. Maybe some people judged this to be the right time to launch an attack on me.

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:"I was always on the side of the weak, of those struggling for the Justice of People. And among them were the Israeli People. I sang their suffering as well as I could. I was always in favour of the peaceful coexistence of peoples. And I showed this in practice, when, among other things, I undertook a mediatory role between Alon and Arafat in the incidents of 1972.

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:"But, precisely for these reasons, I am totally opposed to Sharon's policy and I have stressed this repeatedly, just as I have repeatedly condemned the role of prominent American Jewish politicians, intellectuals and theorists in the shaping of today?s aggressive Bush 'policy'.

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:"Only through a conscious effort can anyone confuse the Israeli People, for whom I have shown my respect and wonder in practice and these negative phenomena which are what truly blacken the image of Israel and play a genuine 'anti-Semitic' role. It is these which are on the side of Evil, the root of Evil, as I stated recently.

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:"Personally, I am happy because I know that there are many Israelis all over the world and within Israel who agree with me and are striving for the true Justice of their People and can coexist with the Justice of other People as well, who are struggling for Peace in their region and the whole world. I am happy that we have been together in these joint struggles for decades now. And I know that they know me well through these struggles and they are not waiting for the mud of some in order to get to know me.

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:"But perhaps this is the aim of those who suddenly 'discovered' my ideas and slander me as an alleged 'anti-Semite'."

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:Athens, 12 November 2003

Related Topics:
12 November - 2003

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On 9/11

In an article in Eleftherotypia (14 April 2002):

Related Topics:
Eleftherotypia - 14 April - 2002

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: characterized by an incredibly high degree of organization and technological means—higher I'd say than that possessed by the current superpower, the US.... As far as physical perpetrators are concerned there is still no tangible evidence and that’s why no arrests have been made. There were only moral perpetrators, who have been sought in Afghanistan—but it would be hard to convince anyone of their level of technological and organizational capabilities.

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