Israel Matzav

Five German legislators meet with Holocaust deniers

Israel has blasted five deputies of the German Bundestag for meeting in Tehran this week with Holocaust denier Ali Larijani, who is the speaker of the Iranian parliament.

The Bundestag issued a statement noting that the legislators’ meeting with their Iranian counterparts is part of a cultural dialogue and exchange program between the two legislatures.

When asked about Israel’s criticism of the trip, a spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry told the Post by e-mail on Tuesday that “the Bundestag decides in its own jurisdiction and responsibility over trips and its committees. The Foreign Ministry supports the members of the Bundestag with respect to the realization of the trips. As a basic principle, the German government does not evaluate these trips.”

Asked if the trip contradicts the international efforts to isolate Iran because of its nuclear program, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman wrote, “The position of the German government on the Iranian nuclear dossier remains unchanged.”

The European parliament recently canceled a similar trip to Iran because of the Iranians' refusal to comply with basic human rights conditions. Read the whole thing.

It sounds like the Germans are taking lessons from the Austrians on guilt-free associations with Holocaust deniers. What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:07 PM