Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has once again
lashed out at Israel claiming that if Germany and Austria feel responsible for massacring Jews during World War II, a state of Israel should be established in Europe rather than in the Palestine. Are you kidding? More below.
Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Al-Alam, Iran's Arabic channel:
"Now that you believe the Jews were oppressed, why should the Palestinian Muslims have to pay the price?"
"Why did you come to give a piece of Islamic land and the territory of the Palestinian people to them?
"You oppressed them, so give a part of Europe to the Zionist regime so they can establish any government they want. We would support it," he said, according to a transcript of his original Farsi-language comments given to AFP.
"So, Germany and Austria, come and give one, two or any number of your provinces to the Zionist regime so they can create a country there which all of Europe will support and the problem will be solved at its root," he said.
"Why do they insist on imposing themselves on other powers and creating a tumour so there is always tension and conflict?"
These comments come after Ahmadinejad
claimed in October that Israel should be "wiped off the map". Iran was forced to calm down diplomatic tensions in October by issuing a statement claiming:
"The Islamic republic of Iran is committed to its engagements based on the UN charter and has never resorted to, nor threatened to resort to force against another country,"
Ahmadinejad's comments are a clear message being sent out to the Arab world. He is basically claiming that I will stand up to the state of Israel and become the new champion for the Palestinian cause. Why? Well simply put, to gain a hegemonic advantage in the region by playing to the people on the ground now that Hussein, who prior to being overthrown, was the foremost leader in anti-Israeli rhetoric. However, that is all well and good if in fact the retaliation by Israel is only spoken. Considering Iran's nuclear ambitions coupled with these anti-Israeli comments by Ahmadinejad you know that Sharon is sitting in the war room with a bombing plan in front of him or some lesser form of retaliation.
What I find funny is the winner out of this is definitely Former Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu who on Sunday made an obvious attempt at political gain, in an interview with Israeli state-run radio where he said he would continue the legacy of (former Israeli Prime Minister) Menachem Begin who thwarted Iran's neighbor, Iraq, by bombing Iran's nuclear plants if he was elected as the new Prime Minister.
Cross Posted at The Middle Eastern Dilemma