Israeli Ambassador Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein has called for an apology from a Lithuanian conservative politician for making inappropriate Jewish comments.
Remigijus Laugalis, member of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) party and elder of the town of Nemakščiai in the western district of Raseiniai, attracted controversy last week by joking that “Those who will not vote for me will get buried at the Jewish cemetery”.
“We have watched with concern the recent situation in Nemakščiai, Raseiniai District,” the Israeli Embassy said in a statement on Monday. “It is particularly disappointing that up to this moment the town elder has not taken responsibility and his circle has not condemned the hurtful words he told the audience as a joke.”
Earlier, the Jewish Community of Lithuania turned to the country’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, leader of the TS-LKD party, over the words of his fellow conservative.
Speaking with BNS last week, Laugalis claimed that his words were “taken out of context”, saying that he was referring to rumours circulating in the neighbourhood. That, however, was not mentioned in the original local media article, or on social media.
For her part, the Israeli ambassador said such statements, even when made as a joke, exclude, marginalise and demonise a group of people, in this case the Jews, on ethnic or religious grounds and are completely unacceptable.
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