Austrian leader slams far-right's anti-Israel posters

(VIENNA) - Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann condemned the far-right Freedom Party Sunday for using anti-Semitic rhetoric ahead of the European parliamentary elections in June.

In a new campaign ad published in the tabloid Kronen Zeitung on Sunday, the Freedom Party (FPOe) pasted in large red letters: "FPOe veto for Turkey and Israel in the EU."

While the party has long campaigned against Turkish accession to the 27-nation bloc, this was the first time it made mention of Israel.

"Israel is not a candidate at all," Chancellor Faymann told the daily Der Standard in its online edition. "There aren't even accession talks.

"The only reason to mention Israel here is to stir up anti-Semitic prejudices," he said.

"That is shameful. We have no time for such taunting. I strongly condemn it," he added.

The Freedom Party, the third largest in the country, has already angered Christians and Muslims alike with EU election posters calling for "The West in Christian Hands".

"The FPOe is setting people against each other, that is intolerable," he told Der Standard.

"Strache is a disgrace," referring to Heinz-Christian Strache, who was re-elected as the FPOe's leader on Saturday with more than 97 percent of votes.

Last weekend, a group of teenagers attacked Nazi camp survivors during commemoration ceremonies at the former Ebensee camp near Salzburg, shouting "Heil Hitler" and giving the Nazi salute before fleeing.

They were later arrested and two were placed in custody. Three others, aged 14 to 17, were released. They had no prior criminal record.

In April, there was an outcry after several students from a Vienna school visiting the former Nazi death camp at Auschwitz in April were overheard making anti-Semitic jokes and comments while visiting the gas chambers.

The school authority was considering disciplinary measures.