Theodorakis described Sharon ’s policies toward the Palestinians as “Nazi-like”

CAIRO, August 28 (IslamOnline.net) - Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, known to millions for composing the music of the film Zorba the Greek, launched a new scathing attack on the Israeli officials, accusing the world Jews of controlling the world's banks and the mass media months after he had described them as at “the root of evil”.

“They hold world finance in their hands, so it's only natural that they would see themselves as very strong,” Theodorakis told Israel ’s newspaper Ha'aretz Friday, August 27.

“In America the Jewish community is very strong. It controls much of the economy, certainly the mass media,” he said.

Theodorakis, 79, also said Jewish control of orchestras has prevented him from holding concerts.

“The Jewish people now appear to control the big banks. And often the governments. So whatever bad or evil comes from the governments, it's natural for ordinary people to associate that with the Jewish people.”

‘Nazi-Like’

The famed Greek composer further described Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s policies toward the Palestinians as “Nazi-like”.

Sharon - and other Jews in influential positions - persuaded US President George W. Bush to go to war against Iraq , he told the Israeli mass-circulation paper.

Theodorakis, who composed the Palestinian national anthem, called Jewish claims of anti-Semitism a “masochistic reaction” by a people who like to be “the victim."

He said he was “hurt” by Jewish reaction to his November statements in which he described the Jews as the “root of evil”.

“And I was very much hurt by the Jewish reaction to what I said. It was not a civilized reaction,” he told the paper.

He said he had received hundreds of “poisonous e-mails from Jews all over the world. I couldn't understand this hatred toward me”.

Theodorakis, born in 1925 on the northern Aegean island of Chios , is one of his country's most celebrated composers, known not only for his film music but for songs, ballets, symphonies and oratorios.

His music accompanied the Olympic flag at the opening of the Athens 2004 Olympics last week.

Through several visits to Israel , Theodorakis became a favorite of Israel 's upper crust and an ally of the peace movement, Ha'aretz said.

Later on, when he voiced his sympathy with the Palestinian struggle, he was harshly criticized by right-wing circles.

In recent years, Mikis Theodorakis has adopted an anti-American approach, the paper added.

He criticized the NATO bombings in Serbia , and opposed the war in Afghanistan and the Iraq invasion.

In 2002, he led mass anti-Israel rallies in Athens and in Thessaloniki .

In November 2003, he outraged Jews worldwide when he was quoted as saying that the Jews were at “the root of evil”.

Last October, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad reiterated Theodorakis' message by saying “Jews rule the world by proxy”.

An EU poll released last October showed that 59 percent of Europeans regard Israel as the biggest threat to world peace.