In October, Netanyahu legitimately attempted to blame the Holocaust on a Palestinian, saying that the Mufti of Jerusalem was the one who gave Hitler the idea to exterminate the Jews.
He later walked back his comments. But now, Bibi's got new scapegoats: France, Sweden, the UK and the UN.
On Thursday, during a ceremony at Israel's Holocaust Museum for Holocaust Remembrance Day, the leader of Israel said that "incitement" had led to the Holocaust, and that today, European leaders are responsible for similar incitement.
"The Nazi regime in Germany was obliterated 71 years ago, but anti-Semitism and its lies did not die along with Hitler in his bunker in Berlin," he said, according to Israel Hayom, adding that "British MPs, high-ranking Swedish officials, [and] trendsetters in France" were responsible for "venomous incitement" similar to what caused the greatest genocide in history.
Netanyahu identifies the new Hitlers: French leftists, Jeremy Corbyn & the Swedish gov't https://t.co/7UIQN2CPBd pic.twitter.com/M3w6Zl0Dd1
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) May 5, 2016
In mentioning "British MPs," Netanyahu was referring to members of Britain's Labor Party, fifty of whom have reportedly been suspended for anti-Semitic comments. Additionally, last Thursday, a close ally of Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn and a former mayor of London said that Hitler had supported Zionism before he "went mad and ended up killing six million Jews."
In referencing "high-ranking Swedish officials," Bibi is likely referring to comments made in January by Sweden's foreign minister, who called for a formal investigation into Israel's use of lethal force to kill Palestinians who were attacking Israeli civilians with knives.
In name-calling "trendsetters in France," it's not exactly clear to whom the Prime Minister of Israel is referring. In January, however, France's foreign minister said that France planned to host discussions between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to implement a two-state solution, and said that if those negotiations failed, France would move ahead to officially recognize a Palestinian state. The remarks caused outrage in Israel, with Israeli officials calling it an "ultimatum" and saying it would only discourage the Palestinians from negotiating.
Netanyahu also called out the United Nations for incitement against Jews. "Only two weeks ago, the United Nations body UNESCO concluded that the Temple Mount, Mount Moriah, has no link to the Jewish people," he said.
--HS
