JERUSALEM: Israel called Iranâs President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad âvery dangerousâ on Friday after he expressed doubt that the Holocaust occurred and suggested the Jewish state be moved to Europe. | This sounds like they're setting the stage. |
Asked whether Ahmadinejad could be compared to Libyaâs Muammar Gaddafi, once among Israelâs most implacable foes, Shalom said: âI would not take him lightly. Such a statement ... displays a way of thinking which shows he is very dangerous.â
Elaborating on Israelâs concerns, Shalom said âIran is now developing missiles which can reach the capitals of Europeâ and urged that the matter be referred to the UN Security Council. Israel has accused Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons.
Iranâs official IRNA news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying on Thursday: âSome European countries insist on saying that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces ... Although we donât accept this claim.â
âIf the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe ... to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe,â he said.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Thursday expressed shock over Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejadâs remarks questioning the Holocaust and suggesting that the state of Israel be moved to Europe. âThe Secretary General was shocked to see the remarks attributed to the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in which he reportedly cast doubt on the truth of the Holocaust and suggested that the State of Israel should be moved from the Middle East to Europe,â a UN statement said.
| Of course, that doesn't mean he'll do anything about it. |
Annan also recalled that last October he had reminded all member states that Israel is a âlong-standing UN member with the same rights and obligations as every other memberâ, and that, under the UN Charter, âall members have pledged to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.â
| There, that ought to do it. |
