German leader responds to Netanyahu’s Holocaust remarks
Jack Mendel is the former Online Editor at the Jewish News.
The German chancellor outlined her country was clear about the ‘responsibility’ it had for the Shoah, after Israel’s Prime Minister claimed the final solution was inspired by a former Palestinian leader
During a meeting in Berlin on Thursday, the German leader responded to Benjamin Netanyahu remarks, that a Second World War-era Palestinian leader convinced the Nazis to adopt their Final Solution to exterminate European Jewish people.
Holocaust experts criticised Mr Netanyahu‘s comments as historically inaccurate and serving the interests of Holocaust deniers by lessening the responsibility of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
During the meeting llth Angela Merkel, the German responded to Netanyahu’s remarks, saying Germany was “very clear in our minds about the responsibility ” of the Nazis for the “break in civilisation” that was the Shoah.
“We are firmly convinced that this is something that will have to be handed over to generations to come
We don’t see any reason to change our view of history particularly
We abide by our responsibility as Germany for the Shoah”.
Moving to Israel’s political situation, Merkel urged Netanyahu to rethink his policy on West Bank settlements, calling them “counterproductive” to a two-state solution.
“I have spoken out against them many times and if it is about doing everything possible right now to calm the situation, then I think all sides need to make a contribution,” she said .
She added, Israel has an “obligation” to protect its own citizens and said the Palestinians must condemn “everything constituting the support of terror.”
During the press conference. Netanyahu reiterated his claim that Palestinian incitement not Israeli policies are at the root of the current violence.
He echoed his thanks to Germany for its support of Israel, and called for an end to Palestinian incitement.
He said: “If we want to have peace, we have to stop terror. And to stop terror we have to stop incitement.”
“I think it’s important that the international community demand President Abbas to stop the incitement and stop spreading lies about the Jewish state and about Israel’s policy.”
“Abbas joined the Islamists in inciting the recent wave of violence,” accusing the Palestinian leader of falsely saying Israel was “seeking to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque” on the Temple Mount.
During his trip to Germany, the Israeli leader also met with US Secretary of State, John Kerry.
Kerry met with Netanyahu in Berlin on Thursday in an effort to help ease spiraling tensions and violence with the Palestinians.
A senior official traveling with Kerry says the secretary would use the Germany talks to try to “change the tone of the public discourse” between Israel and the Palestinians and clarify the status of the Temple Mount, the holy site at the center of the tensions.
Kerry, who will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday in Jordan, has said he wants clarity about the status quo about the site, but officials say he doesn’t believe that needs to be in writing.
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