Israel summons Russian envoy over Lavrov's Hitler commentMay 2, 2022 - 17:45 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Israel has summoned Russia's ambassador and is demanding an apology from Moscow after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that Adolf Hitler had Jewish roots, RFE/RL reports. Lavrov was asked during an interview with an Italian television channel on May 1 how Russia could claim that it needed to "de-Nazify" Ukraine when the country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, was Jewish. Lavrov had defended Russian President Vladimir Putin's goal of the "de-Nazification" of Ukraine and said Zelensky's Jewish ancestry did not undermine Putin's position. "When they say, 'What sort of Nazification is this if we are Jews,' well, I think that Hitler also had Jewish origins, so it does not mean anything," Lavrov told Italy's Rete 4, speaking through an Italian interpreter. "For a long time now, we've been hearing the wise Jewish people say that the biggest anti-Semites are the Jews themselves," Lavrov claimed. Israeli Foreign Ministry Yair Lapid said the Russian ambassador would be summoned for "a tough talk" over the comments, which he called "unforgivable and scandalous and a horrible historical error.” “The Jews did not murder themselves in the Holocaust,” Lapid said. “The lowest level of racism against Jews is to blame Jews themselves for anti-Semitism.” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who has been more measured in his criticism of Russia's invasion, also condemned Lavrov's comments. “Using the Holocaust of the Jewish people as a means to score political points must be stopped immediately,” he said. Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust, called Lavrov's remarks "an insult and a severe blow to the victims of the real Nazism." Speaking on Israel's Kan radio, Dayan said Lavrov was spreading "an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory with no basis in fact." Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |