SARAJEVO: Bosnia’s national museum has defended its decision to donate funds from displaying a precious Jewish manuscript to support Gaza’s population.
Museum director Mirsad Sijaric stated that ticket sales for viewing the Sarajevo Haggadah would aid Palestinians suffering “systematic, calculated and cold-blooded terror, directly by the state of Israel”.
The move provoked intense criticism from Jewish organisations earlier this month, with some accusing the institution of antisemitism.
Sijaric maintained his position while revealing he had received numerous supportive messages from Jewish individuals worldwide.
“Did we choose one of the sides? Yes, we chose one of the sides,“ Sijaric told AFP.
The donation will also include revenue from book sales about the medieval religious manuscript.
Sijaric insisted the action was “absolutely not” anti-Jewish but rather opposition to events in Gaza.
“Feigning neutrality is siding with evil. In my opinion, this is pure evil, and one must oppose it.”
Several Jewish groups condemned the announcement, including the New York-based Anti-Defamation League, which called it a “politicisation” of a “symbol of heritage, survival, and coexistence”.
The Haggadah remains displayed in a specially designed room within the majority-Muslim city, which hosts under one thousand Jewish residents.
Jakob Finci, president of Bosnia’s Jewish community, described the decision as “bizarre” and “a bit offensive”.
“It tarnishes Sarajevo’s reputation and that of the Sarajevo Haggadah, the book that for many years has borne witness to Sarajevo’s multiethnic character and our shared life,“ Finci said.
The manuscript survived Nazi occupation and Bosnian War shelling after arriving from Spain following the 1492 expulsion.
Visitors expressed mixed reactions, with Italian Egyptologist Silvia Einaudi supporting the donation as Gaza assistance.
French tourist Paul Hellec acknowledged Gaza’s suffering while noting other global crises.
The Gaza conflict began with Hamas’s October 2023 attack that killed 1,219 people according to AFP figures.
Israel’s retaliation has resulted in 62,819 Palestinian deaths according to Hamas-run health ministry data.
Media restrictions prevent independent verification of casualty figures from either side. – AFP