Israel Matzav

Dutch state television marketing anti-Semitic game

Dutch state television is marketing a downloadable game since last month, which features an Anne Frank card, which allows players to 'colonize' the 'West Bank,' and a Jewish stinginess card that allows players to gain resources.

A VPRO representative said the game was not anti-Semitic, but rather a thought-provoking satire.

The game, titled “The Settlers of the West Bank,” is based on the multiplayer hit “The Settlers of Catan,” first released in Germany in 1995. The Dutch variant appeared in 2010 on the VPRO website – a self-described liberal-Protestant network.

In the game, the user is a settler trying to expand his community and mine diamonds and Dead Sea mud while producing textile and bulldozers. Players can use the “Jewish stinginess” card to force competitors to hand over resources. The instructions refer three times to the “nation’s typical mercantile spirit.”

Terrorist attacks are described as a natural result of settlement expansion. “Saw wood, and you get wood chips: Not everyone’s happy with the Israeli settlements. Least of all the terrorist,” the instructions explain. “Terrorist attacks” cost players resources.

The settler may also use the “Mahmoud Ahmadinejad card” to avoid losing resources to a terrorist and simultaneously draw resources from other players. The Anne Frank House is a “winning point” for the settler.

The game first appeared on VPRO’s website for younger viewers and was prominently reposted last month. The network explained the reposting by saying: “It’s one of the items everyone loves to hate.”

But wait - it gets worse. Look what 'our' side is saying:

“Criticism of the settlement movement cannot appear in the form of anti-Semitic stereotypes,” said Joël Serphos, chairman of the Dutch youth organization CiJO – For Israel, for Peace. Serphos added that this “gave the wrong impression, that criticism on settlements is rooted in anti-Semitism.”

Why would anyone think it isn't rooted in anti-Semitism? The 'Palestinians' don't distinguish. They label Haifa and Jaffe and Acre and Tel Aviv 'settlements' just as much as Ofra, Shilo and Beit El. It's not the dismemberment of the 'settlements' that they are seeking - it's the extirpation of the Jewish state.

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science provided 89 percent of VPRO’s budget of 51,973,000 euros in 2010.

“This funding makes the Netherlands the largest financier of hate incitement among youth in Europe,” Samuels said.

And damned proud of it too. Read the whole thing.

Anyone know where Geert Wilders is on this? The article does not mention him.

Labels: Dutch anti-Semitism, Holland

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:24 PM