Dutch public broadcaster calls George Soros ‘a Jew with tentacles’
Host of topical debate causes controversy with allegedly antisemitic remarks which are condemned by European Jewish leaders
Holland’s main public broadcaster referred to George Soros as “The Jew Soros [who] supports organisations openly critical of governments and has tentacles” in American politics.
The assertion was removed from an online article following an outcry on social media.
The text, which critics said is reminiscent of 1930s propaganda, was removed following complaints from an online article published by the NOS broadcaster on Tuesday evening about an explosive device that was found near the New York home of Soros, a Hungary-born liberal billionaire who is the target of many antisemitic conspiracy theories on the far right and far left. It was found in the home’s mail box and he was not home at the time.
Yoeri Albrecht, the director of the De Balie events venue, which hosts prestigious political debates and events, wrote on Twitter: “Has NOS hired someone from Der Sturmer?” – a reference to the pro-Nazi German weekly whose trademark was vicious and dehumanising antisemitic propaganda. “How dare a Jew criticise government like that,” Albrecht added sarcastically.
Ronny Naftaniel, the executive vice chair of CEJI, a Brussels-based Jewish organisation promoting tolerance through education, wrote: “The words ‘the Jew Soros’ combined with ‘tentacles’ are wholly antisemitic. This defies belief.”
NOS reacted to the criticism on Twitter, saying: “An earlier version of this article about George Soros contained unfortunate formulations.”
In a statement, NOS called the language it used to describe Soros “careless and incorrect.” Editor-in-chief Marcel Gelauff told the NRC daily that it was “absurd” and “wrong,” and that it was meant to show how Soros’ critics “frame” him.
Last year, NOS apologised for its coverage of soccer fans from one Dutch soccer team who chanted about slaughtering Jews. The report should have mentioned that fans of other teams also use antisemitic chants, NOS said. According to many Jewish critics of NOS, it has an anti-Israel bias — a claim the broadcaster categorically denies.
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