By Haaretz Service, 10/09/2007

Shas Minister Itzhak Cohen said Monday that his party's ministers would be boycotting new German-made cars offered to members of the cabinet.

The government recently announced that its ministers would part with their Swedish Volvos after German car makers Skoda and Audi won the tender to provide the officials with new cars.

In response, Cohen is calling on all government ministers to refuse to drive German cars out of respect for the Holocaust and in light of what he said was a new wave of people who deny the Holocaust took place.

After World War II ended in 1945 and the State of Israel was founded in 1948, it was common for Israelis to boycott German goods. However, as time as passed since the Holocaust and ties between the two countries developed, the phenomenon has faded.

Cohen repeatedly insisted during an Israel Radio interview that the move is "very emotional and very symbolic," and not a denunciation of all German-made products. He emphasized that Shas had no interest in the private matters of ministers, but rather sought to make a public statement with the boycott.

"On private matters, we don't get involved. Everyone in their home can do what they want."

"Especially today, as Holocaust deniers are multiplying, we're the ones who need to commemorate the Holocaust. And if, by this act, we bring about public discourse on the issue, then we reached our goal," he continued.

In the interview with Israel Radio, Cohen recalled public figures who adopted the policy against German goods, including "important men like Rabbi [Yisrael] Lau who never spent a night on German soil, or [former MK] Shevah Weiss didn't receive German representatives."