Iran Calls Elie Wiesel a Nazi

By Mike Evans

I am in Geneva with Elie Wiesel. We are standing against anti-Semitism. As the chairman of the Corrie ten Boom Holocaust Center where 800 Jewish lives were saved during World War II, I can do no less.

To see delegates from nations around the world applauding Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was outrageous. Why they invited a person who refers to Israel as a “stinking corpse” that must be wiped off the map is beyond sickening.

Elie Wiesel, now 80, led a protest outside Ahmadinejad’s UN press conference together with Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz and Jewish students. We were there when one of the 180 Iranians brought to Durban II snarled and screamed at Mr. Wiesel, “Zion Nazi, Zion Nazi.” (You can view the video at http://www.wiesenthal.com/)

The Jewish community united against this evil and it observed Yom Hashoah in Geneva by reading the names of many who perished in the Holocaust.

I must say the close of the Durban II Review Conference was certainly more inauspicious than its beginning. After the rant against Israel by Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s attempts to downplay the anti-Semitic rhetoric of the despot, the attendees were finally able to get down to the business they were invited to do – assess racism worldwide. For some of the nations at the table in Geneva, I can’t help but feel as if this is an idea swap on bigger and better ways to better subjugate the people under their control.

The final document issued by those in attendance was labeled an “important initiative” and would permit countries to address delicate situations “in a non confrontational manner, while safeguarding the fundamental importance of freedom of expression,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay. Ms. Pillay expressed her hope that “those that stayed away will join again the international community soon in fighting against these scourges" of racism.

The nations that opted not to participate and those who walked out of the conference during the repugnant speech by Ahmadinejad were simply doing what Ms. Pillay suggested they do, fighting the scourge of racism directed toward Israel.

The final paper issued by the UN contained 143 articles and in a nod to Israel, the document sported a paragraph stating “the Holocaust must never be forgotten.” This was a bit nauseating considering Ahmadinejad released his vitriol in the conference on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The statement also contained verbiage which called for combating such dangerous dogmas as “neo-Nazi, neo-Fascist and other violent national ideologies.” It also detailed the heritage of slavery and the troubles in Africa. Obviously this does not include using the term “Nazi” as an insult to men such as Elie Wiesel.

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