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Iranian president calls for Jewish state in Europe

Updated: 08/Dec/2005 18:06

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has again attracted widespread condemnation after he denied the Holocaust and called for a Jewish state to be set up in Europe to replace Israel.

Ahmadinejad sparked an international outcry in October when he said Israel "must be wiped off the map", whilst speaking at a conference held by a Tehran student organisation called “The World Without Zionism”.

On Thursday he further cemented his position as one of the most controversial politicians on the planet after he doubted that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, and then insisted that a European state should become Jewish instead of Israel.

“Some European countries insist on saying that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and they insist on it to the extent that if anyone proves something contrary to that they condemn that person and throw them in jail.” the IRNA news agency reported Ahmadinejad saying at a news conference he gave in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca

“Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, our question for the Europeans is: 'Is the killing of innocent Jewish people by Hitler the reason for their support to the occupiers of Jerusalem?'.”

“If the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe - like in Germany, Austria or other countries - to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe. You offer part of Europe and we will support it,” he added.

“Outrageous and racist”

The comments attracted immediate and widespread criticism from both Israel and Europe.

The U.K. presidency of the European Union was about to issue a strong statement, a EU diplomatic source in Brussels told EJP.

Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev told Agence France Presse: “Unfortunately this is not the first time that the Iranian leader has expressed outrageous and racist views towards Jews and Israel.

Regev said that the comments "were another example of the Iranian leader stepping right outside what is accepted by the international community."

”I hope that these outrageous remarks will be a wake-up call to people who have any illusions about the nature of the regime in Iran,” he added.

Tensions between Israel and Iran had already risen this week after Israeli premier Ariel Sharon warned that he “cannot accept” an Iran armed with nuclear weapons.

Although Sharon insisted that he still believes that negotiations will be the best way to convince Iran to disarm, the Israeli leader’s comments were not welcomed by the Iranian authorities.

“The Zionist authorities are well aware that if they make a foolish mistake against Iran, Iran's harsh response will be destructive and determined,” a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry said.

German and Austrian condemnation

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also spoke out against Ahmadinejad’s remarks on Thursday.

"This shows either the lack of seriousness or the high degree of cynicism with which the Iranian government assesses the situation there," the German minister told reporters in Brussels.

Steinmeier added that such comments would not help Europe's attempts to engage with Tehran over its controversial nuclear plans.

Talks between Iran and the European Union - represented by the so-called EU-3 of Britain, France and Germany - broke down over the summer after Tehran resumed sensitive nuclear activities in breach of an accord with the EU.

"It 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," said Steinmeier.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel also sharply denounced the Iranian President’s suggestion.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with US President George W. Bush in Washington, Schuessel called the remarks "an outrageous gaffe, which I want to repudiate in the sharpest manner."

The chancellor also said that the resettlement of Jews was "no solution" to the Middle East conflict.