KHH1

BY BATSHEVA SOBELMAN


JERUSALEM — If there is one place where the facts of the Holocaust are rarely contested, it is Israel. On Wednesday, however, public debate raged over comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed that a key Palestinian cleric was a driving force behind Adolf Hitler’s attempt to exterminate the Jews.

Addressing the World Jewish Congress in Jerusalem on Tuesday, on the eve of his departure for a trip to Germany, Netanyahu said that Haj Amin Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem, had planted the seed of the Holocaust during a meeting with the Fuehrer.

“Hitler didn’t want to exterminate the Jews at the time, he wanted to expel the Jews,” Netanyahu said. “And Haj Amin al-Husseini went to Hitler and said, ‘If you expel them, they’ll all come here.’ ‘So what should I do with them?’ ” he asked. He said, ‘Burn them.’ ”

Netanyahu was referring to a meeting that took place in November 1941 between Hitler and Husseini, a fierce Palestinian nationalist and Nazi sympathizer.

Husseini, said Netanyahu, had a “central role in fomenting the Final Solution,” the policy finalized at the Wannsee Conference in January 1942 to exterminate the Jews of Europe.

The comments caused an uproar Wednesday morning, infuriating both Israelis and Palestinians, who charged Netanyahu with rewriting history and exploiting the Holocaust for political gain.

“The son of an historian must state facts accurately,” opposition leader Isaac Herzog said, in a reference to the prime minister’s late father, a prominent historian.

Herzog demanded that Netanyahu immediately correct what he called a “dangerous distortion of history” that reduced Hitler’s responsibility for Israel’s tragedy. Herzog warned that Netanyahu’s words “fall into the hands of Holocaust deniers like a ripe fruit,” and muddy Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians.

Left-wing lawmaker Zehava Galon wrote on Face-book: “Maybe Netanyahu wants to tell this to my relatives and another 200,000 Jews murdered in Lithuania before the mufti and Hitler met?”

Palestinians too were incensed.

“It is a sad day in history when the leader of the Israeli government hates his neighbor so much … to absolve the most notorious war criminal in history,” said Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, urging Netanyahu to stop “using this human tragedy to score points for his political end.”

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the remarks “appalling and degenerate.”

Historian Tom Segev told Israel Radio that Netanyahu’s assertion was absurd. Segev said that the cleric was undoubtedly a “war criminal whose support of the Final Solution stains Palestinian history,” but that it was “simply baseless” to say he contributed to the decision.

The controversy came at a sensitive time, as the country is engulfed in renewed clashes between Israelis and Palestinians, and Netanyahu was heading to Germany for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel as the two countries mark 50 years of diplomatic relations.

“I see no reason to change our view of history in any way,” Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, was quoted as saying in response to Netanyahu’s comments. “We know that responsibility for this crime against humanity is German and very much our own.”

Before leaving, Netanyahu dismissed as “absurd” accusations that he absolved Hitler for the “diabolical destruction” of European Jewry. “Hitler was responsible for the Final Solution. He made the decision,” he said, but added that it was “equally absurd” to ignore Husseini’s role.

On Thursday, Netanyahu is expected to meet with Secretary of State John F. Kerry to discuss ways of calming the weeks-long violence, which continued Wednesday.

The army said a 19-year-old Israeli soldier on duty in the West Bank was critically wounded when she was approached by two Palestinians and stabbed in the neck.

Her attacker was shot dead by another soldier on the scene, officials said. The second man was apprehended, determined to be innocent and released.

Clashes were reported elsewhere in the West Bank as Palestinian students held protests around Ramallah and Nablus. In Hebron, Wednesday was declared a day of rage and general strike after the deaths of two teenagers Tuesday night.

According to Israel’s military, the 15- and 17-year-olds had approached an army post, where one pulled out a knife and stabbed a soldier, lightly injuring him. Both teens were shot dead.

Sobelman is a special correspondent. Special correspondent Maher Abukhater in Ramallah contributed to this report.

RWNJ

Whether this is true or not, it is a historical fact that Muslims supported Hitler during WWII.

Wolf counselor Loc: Heart of Texas

Well Spooky. We figured you hated the jewfolk since we know you're in cahoots with that demon Farrakhan.

The truth is this. The jewfolk are prepared to whip you spookers plum back into the stone ages.

If you and your fellow SPOOKMUSLIMS want to continue to live in relative safety, I'd say you should shy clear of antagonizing the jewfolk.

You might want to read up on the history of how the Jews can deliver a holy butt kickin' when provoked.

You spooks can't even fight your way out of the ghetto, not to mention wage war against the Israeli warriors...PUNK!

Joynaz

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Where the Thumbs??? I want to give you several right here and now! Well said!!

Joynaz

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Where the Thumbs??? I want to give you several right here and now! Well said!!

RWNJ

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

moldyoldy

The GOP blames Obama for everything in the last 100 years. Netanyahu blames the palestinians. There seems to be a pattern here.

reconreb Loc: America / Inglis Fla.

I have to agree!!!!!!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

VladimirPee

Obama wants to destroy America. Palestinians want to destroy Israel. Seems to be a pattern here

moldyoldy

Obama has saved the US. Palestine was stolen and is still being stolen, bit by bit.

VladimirPee

Obama saved nothing. He did nothing but screw up US Foreign Policy and help the rich get richer and the poor get poorer

payne1000

Arabs actually helped save Jews from the Holocaust.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_rescue_efforts_during_the_Holocaust

VladimirPee

Anigav6969

So did the Vatican

Anigav6969

I think the KKK is waiting for your call....you will go very far with them