BOOK "STEPINAC AND JEWS" BY LJUBICA STEFAN LAUNCHED IN ZAGREB

( Editorial: --> 6705 ) ZAGREB, July 11 (Hina) - The Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was an anti-fascist and anti-racist who shunned Hitler's political movement, pagan racistic principles and violence and bloodshed and abided by the encyclic of Pope Pius XI of March 14, 1937, said Frano Glavina presenting a book "Stepinac and the Jews" by Ljubica Stefan in Zagreb last Thursday. Stepinac viewed Communism as a deadly threat to the Catholic church and Croat people but he also attacked the fascist ideology and racism. The idea of Croathood was for Stepinac primarily the idea of ethic, which reflected in his efforts in saving the Jews in World War II, Glavina said. The book, published by the Zagreb publishing house "Croatiaprojekt", deals with the decision of the Yad Vashem Memorial Centre in Jerusalem not to award Cardinal Stepinac the "Righteous Among the Nations" charter and medal. The "Righteous Among Nations" award is presented, in line with decisions by the Israeli Parliament, exclusively to non-Jews who during WWII saved Jews and jeopardised their own lives. Ljubica Stefan, herself a recipient of the award, presents selected documents and lectures containing facts and written testimonies by witnesses on Stepinac's help in saving Jews in WWII. Stefan claims that the decision of the Yad Vashem Centre was unjust. The Croat people is not genocidal and Cardinal Stepinac is not a war criminal but is the pride of the Croatian nation, Stefan said. Both the Croat and Jewish peoples are entitled to the truth, Stefan said adding that there were many intellectuals in Israel who fought for the truth about Croatia and unmasked lies about the Croat people. (hina) rml 111343 MET jul 98