Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and the Fight against Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, has expressed his shock and condemnation on Wednesday over a recent event held in Potsdam, Germany. In a letter addressed to German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, Chikli denounced the event and called for immediate action to be taken.
During the event, journalist Charlotte Wiedemann spoke about her book, drawing a comparison between the Holocaust and the aftermath of the Israeli War of Independence in 1948, referred to as the “Nakba.” Chikli expressed his deep concern that the event was funded by the federal government, highlighting the need to oppose incitement against the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
Furthermore, Chikli pointed out that Wiedemann, whose father was a member of the Nazi party, claimed that Holocaust survivors should show solidarity with the Palestinians and argued against any “competition” over suffering. Chikli strongly rejected this comparison, emphasizing the distinct nature of the Holocaust as an unparalleled genocide driven solely by antisemitism.
Highlighting the historical context, Chikli questioned the rationale behind comparing the systematic, industrial murder of millions of innocent Jews during the Holocaust to an armed conflict between the Zionist national movement and Arab countries and Palestinian militias. He reminded readers of the role played by Amin al-Husseini, a fervent supporter of the “Final Solution” and initiator of the Palestinian struggle, who colluded with Nazi propaganda and hindered the escape of Jewish children to the land of Israel.
Amichai Chikli attends a committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on December 6, 2022 (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)Chikli also revealed that the event in Potsdam was not an isolated incident, but rather part of a series of events held in public institutions in Berlin over the past few months. These events included lectures with titles such as “Understanding the Pain of Others: The Holocaust and the Nakba” and “Highjacking the Memory of the Holocaust for the Benefit of Dehumanization in Palestine, and Zionism can also Motivate Antisemitism.” Chikli strongly criticized the use of the Holocaust to incite against Israel and called such comparisons abhorrent and devoid of reality.
Chilki demands action, apology
The Israeli Minister urged the German government to investigate these incidents thoroughly, avoid promoting events that deny or falsify the Holocaust, and take action against those who misuse public funds for such purposes. Chikli also demanded immediate and sincere public apologies from all parties involved in the events mentioned in his letter.
Chikli stressed that history cannot be tampered with or erased, and it is the moral obligation of all to preserve the dignity of the millions who suffered during the Holocaust. He called for a united front against attempts to diminish the memory and magnitude of the Holocaust, emphasizing that such actions will forever be deemed unacceptable by people worldwide.
The letter was copied to Steffen Seibert, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Israel, Ron Prosor, the Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Federal Republic of Germany, and Dr. Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Struggle against Antisemitism.
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