Hours before addressing the United Nations on Wednesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave an exclusive interview to CBS’s Katie Couric. During the course of the interview, the CBS anchorwoman accused the Iranian leader of denying the Holocaust, and showing him photographs of dead bodies of Jews killed by the Nazis during World War II.
“You have called [the Holocaust] a lie,” Katie confronted Ahmadinejad. “And I’m just curious, I have some photos - dead bodies from a German concentration camp taken by the Associated Press. Mr. President, is this photo fabricated? Is this photo a lie?” she asked.
Ahmadinejad was quick to reply “there are many historical events, similar historical events. Why is this one in particular so important to you?”
“Because you’re denying it happened,” Couric retorted.
Ahmadinejad replied that “in World War II, 60 million people were killed. Why are we just focusing on this special group alone?”
“We’re sorry for all the 60 million people that lost their lives, equally. All of them were human beings. And it doesn’t matter whether they were Christians or Jews or Buddhists or Muslims. They were killed. So, we’re sorry for everyone,” Ahmadinejad said.
Couric also questioned Iran’s president over his country’s nuclear program, asking him why he continued to refute claims that Iran has the know-how required to build a nuclear bomb. Ahmadinejad referred Couric’s curiosity toward the countries “that have 10,000 nuclear warheads. Don’t you believe that those are the ones that need to be inspected, instead of the countries that don’t have them?”
The interview went on to touch on Ahmadinejad’s controversial presidential victory in June, which sparked protests by supporters of his rival, reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi, who argued that the elections were fraudulent. Couric asked the Iranian leader about a woman, Neda, whose death during the violent protests was recorded on a cell phone camera and spread around the world.
Ahmadinejad said that he regretted the deaths of citizens, but again diverted the discussion by showing Couric a picture of an Egyptian woman who was brutally murdered inside a German courtroom while participating in a trial over her right to wear a hijab (head covering). He then argued that the western media focused on Neda and ignored the Egyptian woman.
Watch a segment from the interview here:
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Hurray for Katie. There were 50 million killed in World War 11 I pray the president of Iran emulates his hero , Fuhrer Hitler ,and commits suicide. The sooner the better.This prayer is being offered in remembrance of my two murdered siblings , grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who were shot, burned and went to the gas chambers under the Nazi regime. My parents who were in Auschwitz, olev Hashalom ,I am certain would say Amen. If we do not annihilate Iran!s nuclear facilities we are looking at another Holocaust. The State of Israel is the target.Sanctions will not work. I hope Israel does not have to attack these facilities alone.May GOD watch over Israel and grant her security.
Lets stop listening to propaganda but begin to entertain a dialogue and open our ears and minds to what Ahmadinejad said. He admitted that Jews were killed in WWII and said we are sorry for them, among all the others. Is this denial? Perhaps what is interpreted as "Holocaust Denial" is denial of the use of the word Holocaust to ignore the death and suffering on many many more Europeans at the hands of the Nazis and focus on the deaths of a minority of the millions killed. As many polish non-jews were equally murdered and more than twice as many non- jewish russians lost their lives. The lives of their families were equally impacted. Gay and Gypsy communities were decimated. We shouldn't reserve the word Holocaust for the suffering of only one group. If 50 million Europeans died in WWII and 6m. were jews, then why should the world mourn and remember only 12% of the victims?
I believe that Holocaust is exaggeration for propaganda purposes. This is to get the sympathy of the people in order to impose oppression and genocide to others. To take land from one and give it to another one for the sake of sympathy is injustice. The globe and all its lands and waters belong to the creator. No one should play God and decide about destiny and fate of others. There are consequences to pay when one likes to play God. The reality of Holocaust does not justify genocide to others. Sooner or later the oppressor will pay the price for his oppression. The worst enemies of the Jews are the Jews.
Richard and Ali, the genocide is the key word! Not all war/political crimes, even of horrible scale, are classified as that. It is not unlikely that tens of millions of human beings perished as victims of the Stalin's regime. But many ukrainians today insist that so called Golodomor was in fact a genocide. This is a very sensitive topic, the presidents of Ukraine and Russian Federations are heavily involved. Another example is the armenian tragedy. Is it a part of a statehood creation myth? Absolutely! But drop the jewish conspiracy shpill and support as much as you can the iranian opponents of M. Ahmadinejad. His main point is not about Holocaust, but on the very existence of the state of Israel, which is a sacrilege according to his Book.
The Holocaust is morally different then the other tragedies in history, including the large number of deaths in WWII, and should be treated as such. The Holocaust happened because of massive planning by Germany to kill a specific religious minority in a systematic manner. The death camps were designed, constructed and maintained to kill Jews in an efficient manner, not for Poles, Gays or Gypsies, even though non-Jews were killed in these camps. That is why all the camps were located not in German, but in Eastern Europe were most of the Jews lived. There is a good argument to be made that the Germans lost WWII because of the vast resources they dedicated to setting up extermination camps including infrastructure, transport and personnel. The flu pandemic of 1918 killed between 50-100 million people. Both this pandemic and the Holocaust involve human death, and the flu pandemic killed many more people. Are the lessons from the flu pandemic similar to the lessons of the Holocaust? No! Are the lessons from the death of soldiers in WWII the same as the Holocaust? No! These historic tragic events should not be combined into an aggregate death toll number and treated equally, because they are not. The Holocaust is singled out because it was the biggest mass genocide in modern history by a country that prided itself on leading the world in science, technology and intelligence. History is full of lessons, lets not obscure the facts so that those lessons are forgotten.
The Holocaust, Perhaps the most shamefull period in the history of mankind can not be forgotten for many reasons. Having been born in June of 1944, I did not learn about this untill i was 12 years old. My recall of that moment was one of shame, The classroom set totally quite, Some had tears in there eyes, for myself, To learn that the Human being was capable of such an act made me feel ashamed to count myself as one amoung the many. When the leader of a 21 century country, That is clearly seeking Weapons of mass distruction, denighs the Holocaust and plays games with words designed to confuse and manipulate, In my opinion history is about to repeat itself. Iran should never be allowed to progress to that stage of development, Ever!!!
As a Holcaust survivor of the Bergen Belsen concentration camp I felt for a long time that not enough attention been given to distinguish Hitler's fanatical, sadistic systematic high tech organized force to wipe out an entire human race from all other politically motivated mass murder committed throughout history. Yes, millions of others died in the war, but not in concentration camps by means of starvation, brutality,systematically dehumanized condition in gas chambers, etc. All that is said still does not mean that the WWII Holocaust should be regarded a Jewish issue alone. It is a human issue, but people need to be aware of the difference; wars- as deadly as they are- not to be confused with the likes of Hitler's plan whose mania to cleans all of humanity of what he considered 'SOCIETIE'S UNDESIREABLE,IMPURE ELEMENTS" to create a "perfect human race" stands alone. Yes, the Jewes were his MAIN TARGET, but how about all the others? Gypsies, homosexuals and physically and mentally disabled? So let us not allow to confuse this issue by any or to deny what history needs to hold up to future generations so things of that nature could be avoided from happening ever again!
“The death camps were designed, constructed and maintained to kill Jews in an efficient manner, not for Poles, Gays or Gypsies, even though non-Jews were killed in these camps. That is why ALL THE CAMPS were located not in Germany, but in Eastern Europe were most of the Jews lived.” [emphasis mine, J]
Excellent point, Rob! The purpose of the death/extermination camps was the genocide of European Jews by industrial means; the deaths of any additional undesirables —homosexuals, Roma, etc.— were a bonus.
However, you should have been clearer that it was the _death_ [or _extermination_] camps that were located outside Germany proper. Concentration camps, forced labor camps, and POW camps were located were located in Germany. When Holocaust deniers such as Ahmadinejad are oh-so carefully parsing and cherry-picking statements about the Holocaust to support their twisted view of history, we have to be careful what we write and say, and not suppose a shorthand expression will be understood as intended.
The holocaust was horrible. A large group of handicapped and disabled people were murdered by Hitler. I saw footage on a pbs station that showed many people with Down Syndrome being murdered by Hitler. Having a son with this disability I cannot begin to tell you how horrible Hitler was. It was most likely the most disturbing part of WW2 and Hitler that I had ever become educated on. Damn Hitler for his actions. It was never the Jewish people's fault, even though Hitler was Jewish. He just decided to bring his self hatred to other Jewish people. What a strange human being that caused so much destruction and disturbance to this world. He echoes and disturbs many even today in the hearts of many.
Instead of looking at the number of people killed, look at the way in which Jews where killed. Horrific. Absolutely horrific. All races and ethnicities killed in concentration camps suffered immensely. For those that do not believe the Holocaust happened or think that it was exaggerated, go up to a survivor and say it to their face. Look in their eyes and tell them that. Then you will find the true answer.
Regina, I think you need to further investigate the claims that Hitler was Jewish himself. That has been widely discredited for decades. No verifiable proof has ever been produced, and I doubt there are any serious historians who would agree with you. His self-hatred was obvious, but it was not "because he was a Jew".
I was born in 1937 in SE KY in the USA. I had two uncles, my dad's brothers, that were in the US Navy in WWII. One uncle was a paratrooper. My dad joined the Navy also. I used to stand at my grandfather's knee and listen with him to the war stories coming out of his old radio. I heard the stories then, and later served under Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower in the US Army. He was my Commander-In-Chief. I know the stories are true. I have seen the tattoos. Thousands of people do not go get a specific number tattooed on their arm that run in sequence. I will sign an affidavit for anyone that wants it as to what I have written here. No one builds those huge facilities in Europe to pull off a sham. It is sheer insanity to deny the fact of the holocaust.
Ken E Watkins
It was sixty [60] million not 50 million. get that right first, then maybe you will be listened to. Whats the big deal you may ask? Well, I am sure it is a big deal to the 10 million you are leaving out. And what about the famlies of the 10 million you are leaving out. Yes, it is importnt for all to be counted, even just 1. How important is your life and should your life be counted?. 60 million !
While the Holcaust may and is perceived to be simply a Jewish/Nazi event in history books. Any educated person knows that many others were thrown into the death camps for any reason the Nazis decided was necessary for its agenda.The problem with this creature from Iran is that he doesn't really care about the so called OTHERS that died in WWII he wants to rationalize his own agenda, and that of all radical Islam, and that is the distruction of Israel.How better to preceed with that agenda then to make others believe that the Holocaust NEVER happened and that we have been lied to through history.Get people to believe that we have been lied to and then you can get them to believe that SOMEHOW Jews are responsible for all these lies/ergo all lies.Sound familiar...yea, thats what HITLER did back in the late thirtys...thats how he BECAME popular.
A systamic murder based on cultural orientation conducted by the state or sanctioned organization is just that a " Holocaust ". Especially if the only criteron was your race or heritage and especially if it was on a wholesale level. If we donot pay attention to history, history will repeat it self untill it is too late. There are and have been blaring times in which humanity has come face to face with the oblivious state of mind of leaders of a country. Mr. Ahminjad is such person who should not be afforded courtsy of international press. Lest we forget Shah Of Iran or Ayatullah Khumani.
Sincerely
Billsharma
The holocaust is committed by Israel everyday agianst the palestinian poeple. Not all Jews like what Israel is doing to the helpless and defensless palestinians. Israel is doing to paletinians what Hitler did to the jews. Israel is systematicly trying to wipe out a whole nation.It, on regular basis, destroys homes of palestinians and confiscate their lands and turn this land to Jewish settlers. It regularly improsins, tortures and kills palestinian men and women.To travel from town to another, they have to get travel permits in advance. They have to go thru many checkpoints along the way and have their belongings checked over and over. They are treated like animals with no rights of their own, as if they were from a strange land. This is their land too. Their ancestors lived there for thousands of years and they were born, lived and worked on their land.This is a holocaust.
As a Moslem, I believe that the Loss of millions of lives including Gypsies, Roma, Poles... and especially Jews in the WWII is so deeply regrettable! Those victims ought to be innocent people! What Mr Ahmadi Najad claims is merely politics, and politics is a big lie! Didn't Mr George W Bush lie? Didn't he claim that Iraq had weapon of mass destruction? The result of his lie is death for more than 1 million innocent individuals in Iraq at this very present time. Every politician lies and provokes & we "ordinary people" are naturally very emotional and easily manipulated. Let us be rational and just! Let us be fair and humane and judge others according to their deeds and not sayings! Let us, Jews, Christians and Moslems perspire to have a world free of hatred and injustice. Let spirituality and act of humanity conquer materealism. Let peace prevail! Am I just a dreamer? God bless the world! Salam
The downside is eternity in Hell. A place of utter total darkness with unbearable heat. No rest day nor night forever. God made a specific promise to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12 verse 3 in which He stated And I will bless them that bless thee (you)and curse him that curseeth thee: and in thee (you) shall all families of the earth be blessed. Pretty straight forward is it not? May I state the following and you reason it out...Satan is not flesh and blood but spirit. God made hell so hot it will burn even a spirit. I think one may not wish to go there. Now, I pray I have not cast my pearls before.....You may not believe in God. You may not believe what I have written. What you do not believe changes nothing. One can go to the top of the highest buidling in the world, leap off, scream all of the way down, I do not believe in gravity, but the end result is still the same. What you did not believe changed nothing.
This is a total flip flop. He's telling Western audiences that he's only protesting the specialized treatment of one segment of the 60 million casualties, but to Muslim audiences he say that the Holocaust is a lie. These are two very different things. Remember, this is how Muslim strong men work. Saddam Hussein told the West that he had no weapons of mass destruction, but in turn told the Muslim world that he did.
I absolutely agree with mike. What the Jews do on a daily basis to the Palestinian people is horrific - how dare they. All the Jews that were brutalized and killed in the camps must be rolling over in their graves. To see their people commit the same horrors against another culture reduces their own suffering.
I am 50 years old and never understood why so many people hate Jews. Aside from what they are doing to the Palestinians, I still don't understand.
I do understand why Iran and other Middle Eastern countries discount the holocaust, how can you have any feelings of sorrow for the Jews when they themselves have become "Hitler".
Shame on them, they pay no respect to the past, certainly they didn't learn from it.
Hamas: Israel Targets Gaza Youth With Aphrodisiac Gum Posted Jul 14, 09 1:07 PM CDT in Science & Health, World | Share http://www.newser.com/story/64363/hamas-israel-targets-gaza-youth-with-aphrodisiac-gum.html
(Newser) – Hamas says Israel is corrupting Palestinian youth with aphrodisiac chewing gum. “We have discovered two types of stimulants that were introduced into the Gaza Strip from Israeli border crossings,” a spokesman tells AFP. “The first type is presented in the form of chewing gum and the second in the form of drops.” Hamas says it has detained members of a gang in collusion with the Israelis.
“They admitted during the investigation they were linked to the Zionist intelligence services,” the spokesman continued. The gang obtained the aphrodisiacs cheaply from an Israeli officer who said “they did not want money, but to distribute the products among the young people of Gaza” to “corrupt the young generation.” Hamas says it caught on after a man reported his daughter had “dubious side effects” after chewing the gum. An Israelis source calls the claims “absurd.” —Harry Kimball Source: AFP
Ladies and Gentleman, we do not need another war. So far, there has been no damage or death ... lets keep it that way.
Listen, To use nuclear weapons on Israel would only make it radioactive and uninhabitable. I believe, everyone has considered that? Right?
Why people hate Jews. Do you really want to know? Here is the answer: Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus Christ) was born of a Jewish Virgin. He was God incarnate in flesh. Man was made lower than the Angels in rank. Jesus Christ willingly took on that human flesh and became the God/Man. He caused the eternal downfall of Satan who has been sentenced but the sentence has not been carried out YET. Satan hates man with an everlasting hatred for the God/Man Jesus Christ who became willingly lower than Satan for a time caused his, Satan's demise. He influences all who will listen to his hatred to hate the Jewish peoples. They have blessed the world with most great inventions and new medical discoveries as promised to Abraham. As I said what you do not believe changes nothing.
The comments above illustrate how successful Ahmadinejad's strategy really is. Getting a worldwide audience just by questioning the most documented and horrific event perpetrated against a nation without a country. Ahmadinejad's real purpose is to deligitimize the State of Israel that he and others like him are trying to wipe out from the map. Jews have suffered genoside in WWII precisely because not having a country or an army, they could not defend themselves. Perhaps the facts that need to be examined and documented is mistreatment of Palestinians at the hands of Israelis, so that people not familiar with the conflict in the Middle East and its roots not through accusations based on propaganda.
The western media has been accused so many times of only seeing and reporting what it deems priority. Many religous and ethnic groups have been slaughtered over the years, but the jews stand out because they're "god's chosen ppl". When even they have been accused of crimes against humanity, lets not forget Gaza. We're all just ppl and unless we figure out how to live together despite our differences We will always be at war. North Korea for sure has nuclear war heads, why not pick a fight with them. If the iranians have them the world is yet to see it, lets give them the benifit of the doubt. America should focus on their own problems and stop meddling in the affairs of other ppl.
Two independent states, one Jewish and one Palestinian, were created in 1948. Jordan annihilated the Palestinian state in it's infancy - the world was silent, and the arab world saw no fault with this. if it were not for Israel's victory in the 6 day war of 1967, and the annexation of formerly Palestinian territory, the Palestinian people would have remained stateless and voiceless. Their independence would have been facilitated years ago, simply by demonstrating good faith, showing a commitment to peace and recognizing Israel's right to exist. They have done none of this, and hence, without that commitment, any agreement/treaty they make is meaningless. That they are not trusted and need to be profiled, is purely a product of their own insincerity and continued commitment to the destruction of Israel. Despite this, ironically, in Israel, Palestinians have far more freedom and rights than any jew in any arab country in the Middle East. If their is to be peace ever, it is time for the Palestinians to forget the empty and false rhetoric, and work towards a genuine solution - and that means starting with their recognition of Israel's right to exist, and then signing treaties that they genuinely intend to honor. Few in the arab world, have experienced anything like the unsolicited psychotic hatred that they, and other anti-semites, so commonly aim at jews - yet, their response is almost always reasoned and rational. It is not difficult to see who genuinely wants a solution, and why it is so difficult to achieve. It seems that a wave of enlightenment and reason, the magnitude of a Tsunami, needs to sweep through the arab world, before any progress will be made.
Heal the world, let's make it a better place. For you and for me and the entire human race. Why can't people just be people and get around skin color, culture differences, gender, age... we should be bonding, not killing eachother!!!!
Too bad their is still so much racism in the middle east.
Jews believe in their torah, which is fine but they sadly did not embrace their own Messaih Jesus the Lord...so they abide by old Jewish laws that God fulfilled in Jesus Christ and were no longer necessary once Jesus sacrificed himself for the sins of the world. Yet in the Torah it reads an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. What violence! Let's get rid of all of these damaging things of the past and MOVE on! We need to reteach the people of the world and heal their hearts.
Jesus said "love your enemies and do good to those who hate you." The old testament is "OLD" for a reason. Too bad people of the middle east are astray from the truth.
To the Iran President...
JUST BEAT IT!
By the way, Michael Jackson asked Katie Couric out on a date in 2003 but she turned him down!
Wow, this comment section has degenerated beyond logic and decency. Prooves that there is a lot of ignorant hatred out there.
Of the many holocausts to mankind, the falsely scientific based, systematic, organized decimation of those deemed, "subhuman" and "inferior" was as of yet of unparalled scale and "efficiency". The jewish people of Europe were by number the largest victims. Yet that doesn't allow us to forget the much larger number of "slavs", also deemed inferior who also perished under less "efficient" systems, and the gays and gypsies, who also perished in the same systems.
To focus on the decimation of the jewish people of europe and refer to that as the holocaust only to the disregard of the other millions dead, suggests that the world should agree to the specialness of the jewish people and their tradgedy, and reflects their attitude of "chosenness" and pleas to acknowlege their specialness.
The Holocaust: Many millions of tragic murders based on claims of racial superiority. Let us not perpetuate ideas of racial/religious uniqueness by highlighting only one segment of their victims.
I like reading all the comments people have on here, the problem with us American we worry about all the wrong things, for every Jew or any other ethnic group that have been murder or slauter, no one in history of man king have face more inhuman death as African people,The African race is hated by every country and evey nation,So all the talk about Holocaust etc,what does that mean when jewish people are some of the most hateful people in the world, and tend to be extremely excluded from all other race also. So before we worry about everything going on around this world maybe it's time for African (Black) African American to be treated wit the respect and understand that all other race is discuss,the Holocaust I feel is celebrated more here then anywhere in the world,WHY IS THAT?
Every one needs an enemy. We don't really want out of this situation because to compromise would be to reduce the conflict which fulfills some primal impulse in us.
To people who write your name as "Al Hitler", "Jerry Atrics," etc. : You are mechanical robots who are just repeating words drilled into your head. You have been filled with hate. You must be the kind of people who have never felt love. To whoever says that Israel are murders who are creating holocosts, etc.: Get your facts straight!
I have some news for all of you: We, the Jewish people of the world, who have lived forever and has never and will never be completely anhilated, are not allowed to steal or kill or do anything immoral. Or even to go against the law of the land. If we have to kill, it is for self defense- to defend ourselves against our own killers. We are a peaceful nation. If you ever hear terrible things about us, it is not about us as a nation, it is about certain individuals who are actually going against Jewish law. We do not kill or persecute any people. We are not filled with hate. Tell me please, what do you know of what is happening in Gaza? Have you been there? Have you seen all the "horrors" that we have committed with your own eyes? Have you NOT seen what we have to defend ourselves against, there and in history? Wake up Give up your hatered open up your eyes enough with the propoganda go see for yourselves who we really are!
P.S. Mike, We are just trying to protect ourselves, alright? Are we allowed to? Or no? Why do we have checkpoints? Are we allowed to imprison someone who has loads of explosives to kill us all? No, right? we just deserve to be totally blown up. And what about all those terror schools, huh?
It seems like we as Americans are going to end up being so screwed for our ignorance and bias. People need to stop thinking that things are going to stay fine and dandy in America, because things are already going downhill (as you can see from the economy). There is such a thing as karma and the fact that we keep turning a blind eye to the Israeli slaughtering machine (aka the new Hitler/Nazi state) is what's going to end up biting us in the ass. Israel's not going to last long, history shows that terrorist states such as these never last, it will eventually implode, something the whole world's waiting for (not just Muslims & Arabs).
I know the Jews were killed in thoes camps and it was a bad thing but so was the inslavement of blacks in America and they were killed raped for 300 yrs and it is still happening that why I understand what the Jews are going though.
Long, long ago, when christians were forbidden from being money lenders by their church, this necessary role was performed by jews - after being repeatedly asked to do this, by their christian neighbors. It was done as a favor... too be neighborly. Strange how that part of history has been conveniently forgotten, and instead of being thanked for helping out, anti-semites have instead worked tirelessly to paint an unsavory picture of jewish greed - how shameful.
Whatever steps Israel has taken, has been in the context of self preservation in the face of a tireless enemy, waiting for one mis-step that would enable them to destroy Israel, and who would have no qualms about facilitating another holocaust - only they would not hide it in concentration camps, but would celebrate and dance in the streets, amidst the barbaric carnage. For all the charges against Israel - they have yet to launch an attack against a neighbor - other than in self defense or in response to formidable evidence of imminent attack. The arab world has been chomping at the bit for a nuclear weapon to use to destroy Israel. They cite, as an excuse, Israel's possession of nuclear weapons, yet, despite the arab threats and repeated attacks, Israel has never used them - reserving them as a last resort to save itself if the need arose. Israel has demonstrated time and time again, that it is a peace-loving and extremely responsible nation. No one would even try make the same claim regarding Israel's neighbors.
As I matured into a man being true to the realities of the world and the nature of humans was a tough and often shameful truth to accept. I always approach topics with truth in mind. It keeps things in perspective and I dont bring opinions into something that for the most part stand on there own. This topic is a good example and here is how I see it:
The Iranian president clearly lives in a shadow existence. His country lives under a cloud of oppression to its people from women to the freedoms allowed.
They seek power though the everyday growth of weapons which will destroy lives.
They provoke rebuke because it is a game which they believe will gain them power which in turn conforms to their beliefs.
Katie provokes interest at this time siding with the wrong of the Iranian nation and the stance they proclaim. She is in the right by doing so though she has much baggage which influences those listening and watching her.
You could easily play a role reversal and who is to argue. We have the technology and have used the bomb. We have oppressed people from blacks , asians, latinos, women, children and so on for the selfish want of capitalism, control, power and money.
We easily point the finger but fail to see how soiled that finger is. For all the good we do we continuously revert to our selfish nature.
Katie speaks the truth and it should stand on its own, yet we compromise rather than denounce. The truth is we are evil by nature and regularly seek a pat on the back, an award, a plack, monetary amount, and much name recognition rather than making it part of our daily life.
The one who has lost sight of the value of life is the one who will compromise life itself in what ever manner or form it exists. Today someone is in need, and I ask you did that person pass by your side without one second of companssion crossing your thoughts?
If so then that is how it begins and that is how evil rooted itself in our everyday existence...
When are people going to realize that before race, religion, and economic status we are all human first. In order for the world to prosper and survive we must realize that we are all human beings before anything else.
I think we need to see all problems proportionally and agreed upon one thing that all human beings deserves: Freedom and Not being killed for what ever reason.
Whether you are moslem, jewish, confucian, christian, we all deserve to live in peace. Let's focus on that and put aside all the differences and stop blaming at certain race or religion.
I think Ahmadinejad was smart enough to answer the cornering questions. I think his underlying message is that we have to see problems objectively and stay impartial.
Lotta hate in this thread. Holocaust must never be repeated. Racism must be recognized and is immoral. Washington D.C. did not allow Black children to be in the same school as White children by law until 1954! Now we have a Black president. This is amazing progress! The Palestinians did not participate in the Holocaust. You should be able to hate Isreal's treatment of the Palestinians without hating Jews. Most Jews don't live in Isreal. Jesus was not anti-semetic. There needs to be moderation, not polarization. There is no reason Moslems, Jews, Christians, Hindus cannot respect each other. There are a lot of bad people of all of the above religions. Bad things will happen to everyone if we can't get along! Don't tolorate stupid hate!
Interesting replies.
What amazes me is the outrage regarding this Holocaust "denial". He never states Jews were not victims of a genocide. The idea is that out of the tens of millions that died, why is one group put so much higher above the rest.
I think the issue here is with religion. Especially here in the U.S., we (at least Christians) are told from the beginning at church that Jews are a higher race, some supposedly superior beings, which is not true. All races are equal. Jews are no less, and no more. The Iranian regime sees this as an opportunity to provoke the west. They know there is nothing they can do financially or militarily against our sanctions or military threats, so they simply use words attack what we perceive to be so important.
The most interesting part is that Ahmadinejad has never said the Holocaust didn't happen. From all the direct translations I've read, he has iterated over and over again that the westerners are "Godless" people who put "Israel above God himself".
This is true to an extent. I don't think our religious groups equate Israel or Jews with God or above God, but simply at least in the political realm, we have a one-sided policy which on one hand fights for justice and on the other hand supports and enforces the suffering of Palestinian civilians. Case in point: over 1,000 Palestinians died in the recent war. Ahmadinejad is surely a corrupt dictator, but he has a point here whether you hate him or not. Why is the death of Neda widely publicized by the west? Can any westerner tell us the name of any Palestinian woman or child that was killed in the recent war?
I fully support the safety of our troops, but our policy is hypocritical and hurts us more than anyone else ever could. We are quick to blame the enemy and label him a madmen when he kills innocent people, but when our tax dollars directly fund the shelling of innocent civilians, not a single voice is raised. In this sense, maybe it is best Iran does develop nuclear weapons. Our version of "justice" is no less corrupt and evil than the madmen of Iran.
Regina, I think you need to further investigate the claims that Hitler was Jewish himself. That has been widely discredited for decades. No verifiable proof has ever been produced, and I doubt there are any serious historians who would agree with you. His self-hatred was obvious, but it was not "because he was a Jew".
As i read through i see some understanding people about the issue at hand and some straying away from it.There's those which show remorse and others showing so much hate and wanting there to be war.We all awnser for are actions here on earth when we stand before God.(I hate no one, yet sorry for many.I shall never want to see anyone die for we are all children of God, makeing all of you my brothers and my sisters. No matter what country your in,no matter what color your skin.I can't be in a million places at once to help all those in need of help, so i pray for everyone every day.You can't change the past, you should cherish the present, for there may never be a future,Amen).
Blessings to all !!!!!
Let all of us think of peace first because God made this world for us to leave in Peace.Let put God first before be do anything else.We are all believers of God.let say BIG NO TO WAR.
How people can deny the Holocaust is beyond me. It's the most recorded crime in history.
President Ahmadinejad denial of the holocaust is not that he totally disagrees with it. He is simply making a point that we in the western world are being very bias against other cultures and religions who too perished in millions not only in WW2 but also in WW1. The atrocities committed by the solders of war are overwhelming and inhumane. To this day it is still happening. So we should look at the sufferings of all humans and not what they are but who they are. Focusing on one particular culture/religion is so discriminating against the others. Why are we segregating humans by what they are? The reality we are all the same created by same God. So stop bickering and be human for once and embrace your fellow brothers and sisters.
No simple human talks about the Black slaughtering during Black slavery. More African perished than the handful jews. Can we categorize this event as genocide as well?
God created us all the same then God decided to make us all different. He made us all speak different languages so we couldnt build that tower, or something like that. So in reality we are not all the same some of us are better than others and thats why we have war. Its gods design his plan , his idea think about it. So lets just fullfill his plan. Its a fight between good and evil pick your side and lets just do it already. I choose GOOD and that would be ISREAL.
- Did you hear his counter argument about what he said about marwa ali el sherbini, who was stabbed to death in a German court, when Couric asked about Neda!
- His answer to the Holocaust question was very just and true! He acknowledged the fact that people of all religion died and he felt sorry for all of them!!
So why is it propagated that President Ahmadinejad denies Holocaust?
Rizwan you are wrong on all counts go and visit the holocaust exhibit in D.C. and smell those train cars talk to the veterans who where there (like my grandfather) and tell them that what they are doin is worse. I know that my grandfather would slap you because he would think he is having a nightmare. All of you are stuck in your own world because you can't accept what is really going on. Welcome to the real world!!!
ddsmith yes you are correct. Blacks should be catagorized along with the jews. But Blacks arent currently in danger of being wiped out by a crazy iranian dictater. I think all black americans should be allowed to go back to africa and given theyre own country to live in.
Kyle!
I think it is very naive of you to think in such a way. Its not a war game 'where you pick a side already'! It involves real lives!!
You have no right to say if either Israel or Palestine is good or bad! Everyone is aware of who is suffering!
Peace Shalom Salaam
The solution? One State. Honor and respect diversity. A unified constitution that guarantees freedom of religion, non=discrimination of race. A Palestine who's constitution respects an individual's heritage and does not discriminiate according to race or religion.
If Israel attacks Iran, the US will suffer. I do not want american support of Israel cause another 9/11. I want the people of Tel Aviv to live well, but my allegience lies with New York and the US. Americans who want Israel to survive as a jewish controlled state, please go there and fight for it, but don't subject us to further islamic terrorism.
To "Richard Rosen": "Listen," as you suggest, to Amahdinejad, and this is what you get:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/21/ahmadinejad-geneva-speech-israel
This guy is a notable liar and obfuscator. He has not demonstrated any interest in dialogue, only in rebutting the world's concerns with incongruousness, just exactly as he has here. He refuses to answer to anything (what you seem not to recognize as denial), incites confusion, and avoids clarity in all discussion. Play a few interviews, and listen closely to his speeches and embarrassingly adolescent interviews in their entirety, measure them against what goes on in his country, and then decide whether you really wish to tell us again that we all need to listen to him.
As for your question, "...why should the world mourn and remember only 12% of the victims?" Who only remembers 12% of the wars' victims? What nonsense. And, if Jews wish to call their genocide a holocaust, who are we to deny that? Genocide is a very particular crime among war crimes, and paying close attention to this attempt to methodically wipe out a religious population is perfectly understandable to this non-Jew.
For Amahdinejad, who has often said that he wishes to wipe Israel off the map, to say that he feels that the death of Jews is sad, smacks of further obfuscation and untruth coming from his lips. His disputatious interviews never amount to anything that can be said to further discussion. He has had ample opportunity to make gestures of progress toward some healthy goals. Where do you see opportunity Mr. Rosen that the rest of us are missing? (And by the rest of us, I mean his own countrymen, too.) Are you really listening to him?
Oh, and the best line from that Guardian article I posted:
"Ahmadinejad later told a press conference his sole aim was to promote 'international love and tolerance'."
His trademark obfuscation once again. (Almost hilarious actually, but this is not "The Colbert Report" it's a UN conference.) And we should listen?
The those who advocate hate, racial hate, religion hate, please give me a break, were you taught to hate others because your parents taught you, people who have done no wrong to you or your family but you want to hate them, get rid of that poison you have embebbed in you. For those you hate so much they one day will die, and that goes for you to, then who really cares who you hate, you and those you hate are no different then mankind, and Im sure you are aware of that.
I quote an acquaintance who lived in Palestine for a year documenting oppressive tactics of the Israeli military: "Palestine is the only place I've ever been where the oppressors ride around in tanks smoking weed, listening to Bob Marley and the oppressed have never even heard of him." My family is Jewish, lost members Poland and Germany, served in the Israeli military in the mid 1940's and so on and so forth. Oppression is oppression. STOP IT!
go Obama. he truly is my hero. he makes me proud to be black. But he needs to buck up on this one.
im proud to be gay and black. Go Obama
How come we have so many SICK people in this world.Sometimes I'd rather be a BIRD.
Bravo President Ahmadinejad
dr ahmadinezhad has just 3 logical question as a university professor.(he was been teaching for several years before being president).I dont have any idea about the holocaust. I only want to know: 1.If holocaust has happend in germany by nazzism why palestinian must be killed. 2.why europian goverments dont agree to historians research it? (some like roger garaudy) 3.why a historic accident has become political? please pay attention: he doesnt say It hasnt happend. we believe that the population of jewish killeds is so lesser.all of jewish in europt those years were lesser than 6 millions. and this is one reason for this lie.
I really don't care how many jews died in WW2 or how they died. For me more important is how many of my countrymen died, and is the same with every country, everyone is mourning it's own people.
Now the Jews have their own country (thanks to the Holocaust)and if they feel discriminated in Europe or in the USA or in anyother country they should go back home in Israel ;)
Btw. using the word anti-semite to express discrimination against jews is wrong because the arabs are semites too and many other non-jewish people ("The term Semite means a member of any of various ancient and modern people originating in southwestern Asia, including Akkadians, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hebrews, Arabs, and Ethiopian Semites").
I would like to ask all people have written their opinions about Holocaust to read history book of Mohammad time. If you do so you will notice that WWII Holocaust is not first Holocaust that happened agents Jewish people. Mohammad was the originator of first holocaust. He ordered 900 adult men of BANI GHORIZ to be beheaded and these killings were carried out by Ali (son-in law of Mohammad). Also Mohammad ordered two other Jewish tribes to leave Madineh and go any where they can.
It seems Islamic propaganda is so intense that do not permit any one to talk about this incident.
Couric only gave this little cockroach an interview, to boost her sagging viewership ratings. I don't know why she,as a veteran, so called "journalist", ever expected the grungy little dictator to answer any of her questions. The only reason he gave the interview,was to give the appearance of being relevant in some little way, to the American public, not to answer any of Couric's questions. I notice she hasn't sat down with Baraak Obama and tossed any hardballs his way. She is just another loony liberal anchor, who will never get it !
The holocaust was indeed a deliberate mass genocide. BUT, it was also nearly 65 years ago too. In the intervening time there have been similar genocides in russia, cambodia, and a number of other places.
But those people arent movie stars and media people, so their fates are pretty much ignored
The pres of IRAN is a turkey. How do you know he is babbling BS? He opens his mouth. They are making nuclear weapons so as to increase their power in the mideast to pursue THEIR agendas, PERIOD. They wouldnt use them if they had them, because their country would be renamed LAKE IRAN after the big powers obliterated them. So its probably worthless to spend so much time trying to get them to stop production of them. We dont want to attack IRAN, nor does anyone else. They are perfectly safe without nuclear weapons.
if you want to se the nowaday's holocaust, go to Palestine, see how the children are living in a continual terror on their land. i have a question to our friends around the world: if a numbre of persons, a community or even a nation came to your country saying to you that two thousands years ago this land was our's . just imagine it. are you going to give them your land , your culture, your history, your roots, just think a moment you, british, french, americain, germain just imagine you are palestinian, what can you do but defending your house, your school, your traditions, your langage. we as muslims are sorry of the death of all these millions of people but why should the palestinians pay for all the crimes?
Like it or not the Jews are/was God's chosen people. I went to a Christian H.S. in the early 70's and had to take four years of Bible studies to graduate. When Christ died on the cross, we Christians(Gentiles) became eligible for that same favor if we chose to follow Christ (accept and believe his blood sacrifice.) The people that practice Judaism now do not recognize Jesus as the the promised messiah. A lot of our study was into Bible prophecy comparing old and new testament. As I look at the situation in the Middle East as a whole, I see those prophesies taking place right before my eyes. Call me a fool, too religious, a nut whatever please you. We are commanded in the Bible to "Pray For The Peace Of Jerusalem" or the Jews,Psalms 122.6. Why have Jews been treated less than human by some, I do not know. I never heard anything nevative about Jews as a child and I grew up in rural N.C.. I did wait on a neo-nazi in a friends antique shop one day, he was looking for Nazi memorabilia. I could feel the hate in him. I am going on and on but the crux of this subject is why interview a person who has no respect for human life whatsoever. Negogiations are a good way of resolving problems but would you negoiate with a rattlesnake? These talks will resolve nothing, for as I have mentioned before, prophesy explains it all. We humans have come such a long way, we or more educated, healthier and live in a wonderful "blood bought" country of freedom. The most educated people known are running this country and look at the mess that we are in. 1 Corinthians 3:19 sums it up, mans wisdom is but foolishness to God. I hope we all have peace, atleast personal peace. I'm just a man trying to live life the best I can and leave behind something good that people can remember.
Let us remember that Ahmadinejad is decendeant of Cyrus the great persian empror who freed Jews from the Babylon prisons,
He & any other persians do not hate Jews but they are opposed to Zionisem that controls the Israil,
As a fact Iran is the only country (except Israil) in Middle East that has a Jewish member of parliment, and has the largest jwish community in whole middle east.
Israil should be fair & stop killing the Palestinians.
jack
Some of these comments make me want to cry. All this hate and arguing... How has the world become such a warped place? Please, let us just focus on the article. There is no need to spout stupidity. If one wishes to make a valid, non-hurtful argument, go for it, but when some paste a nazi sign to a PUBLIC article, and then someone else degrades the Jewish people... Just, no. Stop while you're ahead, and THINK about what you just wrote. This coming from a HS student! All you disgusting people out there need to get some common sense.
hey do you really think israel can nattack to iran? you think wrong it can`t israel fear iran like a a sheep who fears wolf
Mr musavi killed me
real holucast is in GAZA
In the name of Allah
The Americans and Zionest are afraid of Imam Mahdi, and the the 98% population in Iran is the follower of Imam Mahdi. Americans and Zionest are only afraid of Iran because of Imam Mahdi. USA is now planning to be in Balochistan, Pakistan, for a future attack on Iran and also use Pakistani Soil for this reason. Iran is not afraid of any power like USA or Israel.... The whole shia muslim nation will fight against USA and Israel, irrespective of where they are...... One call of Ayatullah Sistani or Imam Khamnei will be enough for SHIAs to fight all over the world...inshallah....
IMAM MAHDI IS A HUGE LIE. TO inform you , He dosn't exist.I must say to all of people around the world,don't worry about MAHDI.He can't do anything stupid in this world.Most of iranian people Hate SHIA and AYATOLLAHs.
Ahmadinejad has clarified that he is sorry for all the 60 million people who were killed in the holocaust, and not for any group of people. The question is, whether Iran's main intention of developing a nuclear bomb is to drop it in Israel? Did all the nations in the world who have nuclear capabilities, develop it in order to drop it on somebody? As far as I know nuclear research has many use, other than making Nuclear bombs. Which is the only country in the world who has dropped a nuclear bomb on another? Does it give them the right to dictate which country should do what and what not? On which moral grounds?
What about the blacks who were targeted and slowly worked to their deaths for centuries? The same attention should be given to history be it jews, blacks or Arabs.
Talking of Imam Mahdi by Mr.Rezawi or Mr. Danial on the subject of discussions is absurd and irrelevant. Imam Mahdi is above all this and should not be brought into such funny discussions. Now to the subject. No doubt the incidence termed as Holocaust may be gruesome and tragic; but it is not the worst such incidence in the human history. Holocaust was and incidence in the midst of WW II,thus it can at most be called a war crime like any other such crime. So many war crimes have been neglected. Holocaust can also be neglected. Why not? So called Holocaust was not a battle on principle and nobody in that died to saveguard any principle. Any battle in the human history which ever happened in which a side fought to save guard any principle of life and to stand to the truth and justice is of much greater importance e.g.death of Socrates, crucification of Jesus Christ and slaughter of Hussain ibne Ali with the humiliation of his family. They are greater tragedies because the three safeguarded the basic priciples of life -- not to bow down to unjustice. They said once NO to any nonprincipled demand from a tyrannt, they remained straight to it and even offered their lives for it. No bargain. They prefferd to die but they did not bow down to the tyrants. Hussain ibne Ali even offered his own kith and kins. The above three incidences were much greater crimes than Holocaust which killed some human bodies but in the above three incidences the basic principle TRUTH was at stake. Today Truth and Justice are alive because of them. I lived for a very long time in Germany.It was late sixties and early seventies and it continues with breaks till now. Most of the Germans whether in villages or any lanes of their country, specially those in the sounthern part do sympahtise on Holocaust but do not have much sympathies with the Jews. Just go around and ask. Jews are in principle tyrant or like Shylock in physical practice by killing the Palestinians or in table actions like blackmailing the governments of USA and other Western countries which has disturbed the peace of the world. But still, not "Down with Israel" only that they should behave properly.They have the right to exist and it should be honoured.
palestinians need our help. they suffer from the néo-nazism, they 're loosing their land, their peacefull life (before sionists came), they are loosing every thing, so please please please support them, help them to live like you, in peace and dignity .
Ahmadinejad is just against Israel. He is denying the holocaust just because Israel is involved and not because it didn’t happen, his after thought of sorry is because he was caught up by Couric’ question. But the reality is that if God be for a people, no one can successfully be against them. God is for Israel, so Ahmadinejad can do nothing about it. He must have heard of what happened to Israel’s enemies in the times of old and even Hitler
Yes, over 50million people died in WW2 no question about that, but what really prompt the popularity of the Holocaust is not just being another article of causualty of war, rather it is the anormalty that distinguishes the uniqueness of these casualties And that is where the Holocaust fits in because it questions the foundation of Man's irational mindedness which i fear we would not have to encounter in these modern day evolution. Holocaust will always be a referenced page in history because of its gruesome contents, and A systematic plan strategise to wipe out a certain race and how it was carried out is something that rational-thinking present-day human should always fear.....Ofcourse millions also died in the war, but were they taking to gas chambers? absolutely not! were they taking to concentration camp to be experimented upon? we all know the answer to that. In a bigger picture over 50million died, but taking a microscopic view of WW2, Holocaust will always bring you that nauseating feeling which personal hatred and prejudice clothed completely itself in, and that is why The Holocaust is definitely so unique. My apology to all affected family one way or the other struck by these insaneous human thoughts that gave birth to these topic we write upon, i uncapped my hat in mourning their loss.
Ari Abuja, Nigeria.
I am surprise when i see something and listening another thing, i am like a Kurdish people in Kurdistan i see our Nabors like Iran and Turkey are attacking our people and killing many animals near the border but no one ask them why? AhmadeNajad showed himself that he is Islam …..! and do not speak when he know the Iran army is kill Kurdish people without any cause , that is why i am saying(speaking on the TV s not important but the important is practical)
I listened to the interview and the point is thousands and thousands of people were brutally killed in the holocaust no doubt about that.and the muslim woman killed in the german court was so sad she was killed for wearing a hijab which is her right as a muslim and it is her culture why did that have to cost her her life and why did thousands of jewish men women and children have to indure torture at the hands of a crazy man and why are children molested women raped people hungry and homeless i tell you why cause we people care more about argueing our point and sitting at a computer where no one can see us and dish it out but none of us is doing anything to stop it i dont agree with irans president by no means but we as people christian jew muslim buddist or whatever our beleifs need to get off our butts and stop complaining and arguing and do something to protect our children all it takes is one person and i pray god gives me the strength to do my part godd bless all the people in this world cause he created us all we make the choice to do good or bad so think about that god bless everyone.
such poor journalistic skills Katie...you should have stayed on the Today show...
I think katie was right to ask that about the holocaust .I think people down play the holocaust these people where taken from everything they knew and placed in concentration camps.I am god fearing woman and the jews are god chosen people and they have suffered greatly at the hands of the germans .That man was crazy ,what do you think he would of done to us if he got to the United states .
Forget about the game with words (Holocaust or not Holocaust). It is definitely a reprehensible period in the history of human race not to be denied by anyone! But, what it is equally reprehensible is the usage of the Holocaust to justify the taking over the lands and houses of the Palestinians in 1948 with the blessing of the US and the newly created United Nations at that time (under the full control of the US at that time). Was it justifiable to transfer thousands of Jewish people from other parts of the world in 1948, bring them into what was called Palestine at that time (which was under the control of the British), arm them, have them create terrorist groups (or fighters as they were called at that time) which bombed the houses of Palestinians who refused to give up their land and leave? If you are too young to know the events that took place between 1945 and 1948 then do some research and reading. You will then be able to understand the present conflict a little better (there was a book and a movie made about the transferring of Jewish people to Israel in those years -- Exodus. Written by Leon Uris but from the perspective of the migrating Jews). The questions are : does one reprehensible event (the Holocaust) justify another? Does time erase the reasons for the conflict in the Middle East?
I see the world as it has been presented by all sides, as a black American i know first hand what hate feels like. I noticed that when blacks speak out about race we are acused of playing the race card, America still after 400 years is dealing with the "Negro problem" and i feel that we as Americans must clean up our own house before we point fingers. Everyday in my country my race is treated worse than bad, the courts are stripping us of our time with harsh prison sentences and our men are targets for anyone with a gun and a badge. We as Americans of all races cannot afford to keep walking over our own dirt while calling other people out on thiers. i reccomend this book to all of you,: POLITICS CRIME MONEY AND LIES, CAN PRESIDENT OBAMA CLEAN UP THE DIRTY SIDE OF AMERICAN POLITICS. This book gives an honest view of American life from the perspective of a regular American who is black and from the streets of Oakland California.
do i like what this man from Iran says, no. but i do know that he makes points about us and others that we can't ignor, we have to say yes thats true BUT what you are doing is BS and you must stop or else. If we keep playing with the people that want to kill us and our friends we will suffer. Draw the line and end it before more Jews are killed and more hate is created. I know that Hitler killed them people and i know that England took that land and gave it to the Jews so that they would not have to take them in, America did not want them either. lets stop playing words games people, lets speak the truth and move on and make good lives for our kids.
It is impossible to turn one's back on reality and deny that the State of Israel is not, likewise, an Apartheid state, and that as a result of this, Israeli democracy - which all its leaders and political pundits swear by - is being perverted, if not destroyed. This Apartheid has been entrenched in a system of laws, regulations and practices which govern the operation of state institutions. What characterizes most of those discriminatory laws that have been legislated in various Knesset is that on the surface, they do not appear to be discriminatory. However, a more in-depth analysis of some of the basic ones quickly reveals the extent to which they discriminate between "Jews" and "non-Jews". By studying them one cannot fail to reach a conclusion, which cannot but be embarrassing to many of us: namely, that Israel is an Apartheid state, and the Apartheid not only manifests itself socially, but that it is also embedded in the legal system. The following is devoted to a few of these laws.
The 1952 Law of Entry into Israel was apparently legislated simply to regulate entry into the country. However, all its clauses, save the one making it obligatory to enter by way of an official border control point, are intended to make a clear distinction between foreign citizens who are Jewish and those who are not. Yet the words "Jew" and "non-Jew" do not appear. So it is, for instance, that the law stipulates that whoever "does not hold an immigration visa or immigration certificate" can be immediately deported by the minister of the Interior, or, can be denied a visa at any time. As for the explanation and definition of who qualifies for an immigration visa, one must seek the answer in another law, the Law of Return. The answer is: Jews.
However, the authority vested in the minister of the Interior to deny entry to foreign citizens if there is reason to suspect they may harm the public is only applicable to non-Jews. The minister of the Interior does not have the authority to deny any Jew - even if he's a scoundrel of the first order who can be counted on to do harm - the right to settle in Israel. The reason: Jews do not need permits to settle in Israel....Jews arriving in Israel from abroad are almost immediately given all the rights and privileges that Israeli Jews enjoy....Furthermore, they immediately acquire the right to vote in elections and to be elected to the Knesset - even if they do not speak a word of Hebrew.
While the minister of the Interior has the authority - albeit, authority which cannot be exercised without great difficulties - to deny "immigration visas" to Jews, once a Jew enters the country, the minister of Interior cannot do anything about it, and does not even have the authority to withdraw residence permits from undesirables. In regard to non-Jews, the situation is quite different: the minister of the Interior can withdraw their permits even if they have been living here for years. We have witnessed how swindlers and common criminals have succeeded in receiving Israeli citizenship, not to mention those who even managed to get themselves elected to the Knesset. It wasn't the Law of Return that allowed them to do so, it was the law governing entry to Israel, which in turn is based on the Citizenship laws of 1952.
The Citizenship Laws of 1952 are a pinnacle in the annals of the art of obfuscation. Even though the word "Jew" is not mentioned at all in these laws, it is, in its entirety, based on the distinction between "Jews" and "non-Jews". This is one of the pillars of the Israel Apartheid regime, alongside a plethora of other laws, regulations and practices, for "Jews" and "non-Jews". They include: the educational system; the regulations of the Israel Lands Authority (which sees to maintaining segregation on the ground); and the religious marriage laws, which do not exist in conjunction with civil marriage laws.
(...)
Like in every state, a foreign citizen who wishes to become a citizen of Israel can do so, and the regulations governing his acquisition of citizenship are similar to those which exist in many other countries. The basic condition is that candidates must have resided in Israel for a number of years. Likewise, before citizenship is granted, the candidate must pledge his allegiance to the State of Israel. In contrast, Jews are not required to swear a pledge of allegiance to the State of Israel. So it is that a Satmar Hassid, who has the utmost contempt for the existence of the state, and perhaps even translates this into action, can immediately become a citizen, with the right to vote in Knesset elections.... Moreover, only ["Jews"]have the right to retain their former citizenship even after becoming Israeli citizens, while "non-Jews" are obliged to renounce it before becoming Israeli citizens.
The obfuscation does not end here. Take for instance the regulations governing the "joint authority of the Israel government and the Jewish Agency". These regulations are discussed as though they were applicable to all Israeli citizens. But when one reads them through, it quickly becomes apparent that rights granted to "returning residents" are meant solely for Jews: those who are not Jews have to pay full duty on all the articles they transport from the place of residence abroad, and are not granted any housing or education benefits upon returning to the country, after, perhaps, a few years of study abroad....
Blatant discrimination against non-Jews can also be found in other laws dealing with the acquisition of property, government support for young couples, educational curricula, and government expenditure for schools, to cite just a few examples. The routine means for enforcing discrimination is the ID card, which everyone is obliged to carry at all times. ID cards list "nationality", which can be Jewish, Arab, Druze, Circassian, Samaritan, Kara'ite, or foreign. When a person presents his ID card to a policeman, a security official, or to a clerk at a government office whose services he requires, they can know which "sector" he belongs to and treat him accordingly, or, refer him to those who are responsible for dealing with his "sector". Up to now all the attempts to force the minister of the Interior to also accept the entry of "Israeli" nationality have failed. Those who have attempted to do so have received a letter from the ministry of the Interior. While the letterhead is one of the "State of Israel", the letter states that "it was decided not to recognize an Israeli nationality". By the way, every person has the right to demand that the nationality entry in their ID remain blank, and the ministry of the Interior must honor this demand.
Another law, the 1986 Military Service Law, which superficially does not appear to be discriminatory in any way, is, by dint of the wily formula used in conjunction with the "nationality" entry in the census, a destructive tool of discrimination and oppression. The term "draftee" which appears therein applies to every Israeli citizen or permanent resident, as does the term "candidate for military conscription". In other words, a "draftee" - i.e. , someone who has not yet reported to the draft board - is a universal term and equally applicable to all citizens. How is it then, that this law has become a major tool for implementing discriminatory policies ? The answer is: by the way of a simple and at first glance innocent ploy. It appears in section three, which deals with how citizens are to be called to report for military service: a special person is appointed to be "the enumerator"; his job is to call draftees to register with the draft board and he "is authorized to order draftees and candidates for conscription to report [to the draft board]". The law uses the term "authorized", and in so doing leaves open the possibility for the enumerator to abstain from calling on "draftees" to report. And it is clear that those who the enumerator does not call do not have to report, and are therefore exempt from army service. In practice it is much simpler: those whose IDs list them as belonging to the "Arab sector" are not called by the enumerator.
Why are Arab teenagers not called to serve in the army ? The two reasons usually given are nothing more than a pretext. The "moral" reasons runs as follows: How can an Arab be asked to fight against his brother ? This ignores something we have witnessed more than once, namely, that Arabs kill other Arabs - whether in terrorist attacks or on the battlefield...The same could apply to Israeli citizens, be they Arab of other non-Jews, if they were to feel that their induction into the Israeli Army was justified. But this will only come about when they feel themselves equal citizens, and that the state of Israel is protecting them, and respecting their rights, treating them no differently than other citizens....It would be pointless to waste much time on the second reason - "for reasons or security". Both Jews and non-Jews have been exposed as spies and traitors. Indeed, there is ample reason to believe that the ones who were the most dangerous were Jews. In the same way that being a "Jew" does not vouchsafe automatic loyalty to Israel, the label "Arab" is, likewise, not a means of identifying those ready to commit treason or engage in espionage.
Once a citizen has not been called on to report by the enumerator, discrimination and persecution follow. Such is the lot of those [of non-Jews] who do not serve in the army. Many places of employment and residence become off limits, as the demands of employment and regulations governing the leasing of homes or lands in the hands of various public and governmental bodies stipulate that candidates must be "draftees". So it is, for instance, that Mohammed Borkan did not succeed in remaining in his flat in the Old City of Jerusalem. One of the basic conditions for being allowed to lease the flats (which were expropriated for the "public good") is that the leasee must be a "draftee". Take note: the term "draftee" also applies to yeshiva students [students of Jewish theology] who have not served in the army. The enumerator does call on them to report, and that is enough for them to be included in the category of those who have privileges, even if their contact with the army ends at this point.
One can list many more Apartheid laws, but we will stop at this point....The Apartheid mindset has always been part and parcel of Judaism. Take for example the age of Ezra and Nehemia (ca. 450-430 BC). All the restrictions and rules incorporated into the Jewish religion were intended to preserve the purity of the strain against contamination from the Gentiles....Apartheid is so powerful a mindset in this society, that its existence and preservation is championed by all the members of the "Zionist parties", including those who believe themselves to be in the vanguard of the struggle for socialism, peace and equal rights. We have yet to hear them speak out against the existence of two categories of citizens, or in favor of a comprehensive Israeli school system, or in favor of the abolition of restrictions on where Jews and Arabs are allowed to live. One gets the impression that their energetic struggle for the establishment of a Palestinian state and their vocal opposition to Jewish "settlements" on the other side of the green line is based on their desire to preserve a "Jewish state", something which allows and, in the eyes of many of them, even justifies the retention of discriminatory laws, and the privileges granted to the Jews.
Everyone who supports democracy and is concerned about the future of Israel, should place the abolition of the Apartheid regime that exists here at the top of his list of priorities. And not only leftists, but also those with liberal views on the right. Those who say we must be ready to "give up a lot for the sake of peace" should to so in good faith: abolish Israel's Apartheid laws and grant non-Jewish resident (sic) the ability to identify fully with the state.
Everyone has posted comments about the brutality practiced against the "Palestinians" by the government of Israel. However I have not seen anyone comment on what the Iranian government is doing to the minorities within Iran. Why this silence? Palestinians of Israel citizenship enjoy rights better than other Palestinians but the minorities in Iran have no rights whatsoever. A case in point are the Baha'i. Iran has no right to criticize Israel when it's policies are just as loathsome if not more so.A Palestinian working in Israel would not be sacked for his cultural or religious preferences but for the Baha'i, they can loose their jobs, be expelled from school or generally discriminated just for admitting their faith. I have this to say to Ahmadinejad, let he who is without sin caste the first stone.
THe issue is not whether the holocost happenned its to recent to deny too many witness still alive you are a liar or a fool to deny it. The real issue is to make sure we defend Israel from anywho would dare attack it. That has been there land since God promised to Abraham's seed forever we merley gave it back to them first of all hello the temple mount and the wailling wall is the proof that the jews were there first beyond a shadow of a doubt, third it has never been a muslim land for anyone who is honest will admit that the palestinians who lived ther prior to Israel's return were christians not muslims nor did they have a country there they were not organised at all they just were living off the land. fourth God in the old testament and new has promised to destroy anyone who tries to divide Israel or Jeerusalem himself so we need not fight as americans anyone God will defend them himself!