Report of anti-Semitism in Odessa highlights use of Jews in wartime propaganda

Despite media reports, there has been no surge of anti-Semitic attacks in Odessa, local Jewish leaders have declared. Reports in Pravda, Izvestia and other Russian news outlets last week painted a picture of a Jewish community terrorized by members of the ultra-nationalist Pravy Sektor [Right Sector] movement.According to the pro-Kremlin Izvestia, Pravy Sektor “declared war” on the local community, beating twenty Jews and prompting local leaders to appeal to the World Jewish Congress to “disarm and disband” the group.According to WJC CEO Robert Singer, no such appeal was received and he heard nothing about such attacks during a visit to Kiev prior to Sukkot.“Pravy Sektor is just destroying us, it is pure militant Nazism,” Mikhail Maiman, referred to as the leader of Odessa’s Jewish community, was quoted as saying.