Palestinian President: Nazis killed Jews due to their ‘social role’, not religion

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is being widely criticised for falsely claiming that Nazi Germany killed Jews because of their “social role” and not their religion. 

“They say that Hitler killed the Jews because they were Jews and that Europe hated the Jews because they were Jews. Not true. It was clearly explained that (the Europeans) fought [the Jews] because of their social role, and not their religion,” Abbas told his Fatah party’s Revolutionary Council last month.

The Middle East Media Research Institute translated his speech in which he claimed that “several authors wrote about this. Even Karl Marx said this was not true. He said that the enmity was not directed at Judaism as a religion but to Judaism for its social role.”

“The [Europeans] fought against these people because of their role in society, which had to do with usury, money and so on and so forth,” Abbas said.

Germany’s ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, was among the first officials to react to Abbas’ translated speech, saying: “The recent statement of President Abbas on Jews and the Holocaust is an insult to the memory of millions of murdered men, women and children.”

“The Palestinians deserve to hear the historical truth from their leader, not such distortions,” he added.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, also lashed out at Abbas, saying: “Nearly two years ago the UN adopted a resolution I initiated to combat Holocaust denial and distortion. Yet shamefully, in two weeks, President Abbas, a man who publicly blames the Jews for the Holocaust – the ultimate form of Holocaust denial – will take the stage in the very same room this resolution was adopted.”

“What a disgrace! Where is the outcry?! Where are the UN condemnations?! Where is the media?! The hypocrisy and double standards truly know no bounds. Abbas’ dangerous hate and lies must be condemned!” Erdan added.

The American Jewish Committee said that world leaders “committed to peace in that region must stop giving Abbas a free pass, and condemn his hateful rhetoric.”

Abbas also claimed that that “European Jews are not Semites. They have nothing to do with Semitism. So when we hear them talk about Semitism and antisemitism, the Ashkenazi Jews, at least, are not Semites.”