The umbrella group of French Jewish organizations, CRIF, denounced the inauguration of an exhibition about mutilated people in Gaza by German photojournalist Kai Wiedenhöfer at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris.
The photographer, who often works in the Middle East, is the winner of the Carmignac Gestion photojournalism award.
His exhibit, “Gaza 2010”, which runs until December 5, shows pictures taken in the aftermath of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead against Hamas in Gaza in early 2009.
In a statement, CRIF stressed that the photographer "is known for his violent anti-Israeli position." "He does not want simply to show victims of operations of war as there unfortunately are in all armed conflicts. He makes a propaganda work", the Jewish group said.
"The focus against Israel is a political militant act that the Museum of Modern Art, which is under the responsibility of the town of Paris, shouldn’t accept."
"We are surprised that the museum shelters an exhibition as political as this one because this is clearly not its vocation," Marc Knobel, a researcher at CRIF said, adding however that the group doesn’t have as a practice to denounce exhibitions.
Asked by Agence France Presse (AFP), Museum Director Fabrice Hergott explained that the exhibit "is not part of the museum’s programme."
"It takes place within the framework of a contract with Carmignac Management, the museum’s patron."
"We don’t intervene in the content," he said.