Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

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WORLD NEWS Monday 2 deceMber 2019

Belgian Carnival town renounces

UNESCO title over racism row

By RAF CASERT ognition." UNESCO, Jewish Imposing limits on that
Associated Press groups and the European would take away the es-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The famed Union have condemned sence of the town's Carni-
Belgian Carnival town of the float as anti-Semitic, val, said D'Haese, who has
Aalst wants to renounce its with the EU saying it con- seen revelers imperson-
place on the U.N. cultural jured up visions of the 1930s. ating leaders of his Flem-
heritage list, saying it is sick UNESCO already was plan- ish nationalist N-VA party
of widespread complaints ning to consider at its Dec. leadership go around in
that this spring's edition 9-14 meeting in Bogota, Nazi uniforms. For him, it is
contained blatant anti- Colombia, whether to kick the be-all, end-all of Aalst
Semitism. Aalst off the list of Intangi- Carnival, in which a laugh
Town officials say the float ble Cultural Heritage. trumps ethical concerns. In this Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013 file photo, people celebrate
objected to, with stereo- "It was clear that we had to The parade of floats draws carnival during the yearly procession in Aalst, Belgium.
typical depictions of hook- go, so we kept the honor some 100,000 visitors every Associated Press
nosed Jews sitting on piles to ourselves," D'Haese told year to the city close to
of money, was trying to VTM network. Brussels. Most often it goes tions told The Associated dirt," he said. "We will keep
make a joke and they con- Aalst is one of Europe's most off without a hitch. Press that the mayor had a close eye on Aalst."
tend no one should try to famous Carnivals and it is a After the outrage in early not been cooperative in He insisted there are merry
muzzle humor of any kind celebration of unbridled, March, D'Haese claimed discussing the issue. Carnivals around the world
during the three-day Car- no-holds-barred humor city elders reached out And Knoop warned that re- without a hint of racism or
nival. and satire. to Belgium's "anti-discrim- nouncing the UNESCO cul- anti-Semitism.
Aalst mayor Christoph Politicians, religious leaders ination center and sev- tural heritage tag should D'Haese said it would be
D'Haese said Sunday that and the rich and famous eral Jewish organizations, not open the way for more "unavoidable" that there
city officials "have had it are relentlessly ridiculed for whom it will never be similar displays at the festi- would be Jewish ridicule at
a bit with the grotesque during the three-day festi- enough." val in late February. the next edition.
complaints and Aalst will val ahead of Roman Cath- Hans Knoop of the Belgian "They are not at liberty to He has said it was not for
renounce its UNESCO rec- olic Lent. Forum of Jewish Organiza- spew any more anti-Semitic him to police humor. q

Relic thought to be from Jesus’ manger arrives in Bethlehem

By IMAD ISSEID Nativity, the West Bank holy Young Palestinian scouts
Associated Press site where tradition says Je- played bagpipes and the
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) sus was born. crowd snapped pictures as
— A tiny wooden relic that The return of the relic by a clergyman held the silver
some Christians believe to the Vatican was a spirit- reliquary and marched to-
be part of Jesus' manger lifting moment for the Pal- ward the church.
arrived Saturday in its per- estinians, a small minority of Brother Francesco Patton,
manent home in the bibli- whom are Christian. It coin- the custodian of the Fran-
cal city of Bethlehem 1,400 cides with Advent, a four- ciscan order in the Holy
years after it was sent to week period leading up to Land, said Palestinian Presi-
Rome as a gift to the pope. Christmas. dent Mahmoud Abbas had
Cheerful crowds greeted Troubled Bethlehem in the asked Pope Francis to bor- Christian clergymen carry a wooden relic believed to be from
the ornately encased relic Israeli-occupied West Bank row the entire manger, but Jesus' manger at the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem's old
with much fanfare before is preparing for the occa- the pope decided to send city, Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. Associated Press
it entered the Franciscan sion, where pilgrims from a tiny portion of it to stay
Church of St. Catherine around the world flock to permanently in Bethlehem. piece returns to its original ing to Wafa, the official Pal-
next to the Church of the the city. "It's a great joy" that the place, Patton said, accord- estinian news agency.q