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Iran: Israel is Europe's problem
09/12/2005 09:23 - (SA)
Tehran - Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad triggered a new international outcry on Thursday - saying the "tumour" of the state of Israel should be relocated to Europe.
His remarks, made at the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, were greeted with outrage by Germany, Austria, Israel and the United States.
Ahmadinejad said that if Germany and Austria believed Jews were massacred in World War 2, a state of Israel should be established there.
In an interview with Iranian state television's Al-Alam, he said: "You believe the Jews were oppressed, why should the Palestinian Muslims have to pay the price?
"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.
'They insist on imposing themselves'
"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... and the problem will be solved at its root.
"Why do they insist on imposing themselves on other powers and creating a tumour so there is always tension and conflict?"
Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson Mark Regev responded to the comments, saying it was "not the first time that the Iranian leader has expressed outrageous and racist views towards Jews and Israel".
Israel's views were echoed by its closest ally, the US.
"It just further underscores our concerns about the regime in Iran. And it's all the more reason why it's so important that the regime does not have the ability to develop nuclear weapons," said White House spokesperson Scott McClellan.
'An outrageous gaffe'
German chancellor Angela Merkel said Ahmadinejad's suggestion was "totally unacceptable".
Speaking after a meeting with US president George W Bush, Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel called the remarks "an outrageous gaffe, which I want to repudiate in the sharpest manner".
German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the EU's nuclear diplomacy is "not made easier by the fact that Mr Ahmadinejad comes up with new ideas, that the people of Israel could move to Germany and Austria, to resolve the Middle East problem".
Ahmadinejad also proposed "a referendum in Palestine for all the original Palestinians" to decide on the future of what is now Israel, the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
- AFP
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