After launching a tirade of abuse against Israel, which he referred to as the "Zionist regime," Ahmadinejad declared, "It is no longer acceptable that a small minority would dominate the politics, economy and culture of major parts of the world."
"Once again, the UN has been soiled by Ahmadinejad's grotesque anti-Semitic diatribes," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "He is a liar: he denies the Holocaust. He is a dictator: he stole the Presidential election. He is a threat: he is intent on acquiring nuclear weapons. It's time that the entire international community stopped treating Ahmadinejad as a statesman and recognized him for the dangerous thug he is."
Several delegations chairs in the hall were empty as Ahmadinejad took the podium, among them those of Israel and Canada. "We express our profound appreciation to Lawrence Cannon, the Foreign Minister of Canada, and his colleagues for shunning Ahmadinejad in advance of his speech," Harris said. After Ahmadinejad launched his attack on "Zionists," the United States and many European delegations left the hall in protest.
Last week, as the Iranian regime's security forces brutally crushed protestors who attempted to turn regime-sponsored "Al Quds Day" events into protests against continuing repression inside the country, Ahmadinejad delivered another inflammatory speech at Tehran University in which he again described the Holocaust as a myth and called for the elimination of the State of Israel.
Thousands of people are expected to attend a rally countering Ahmadinejad tomorrow, September 24, outside the UN building in New York City. The rally has been sponsored by a wide range of human rights and community organizations, including AJC.
Source: American Jewish Committee
Published by Mike Hitchen i On Global Trends, world news, analysis, opinion
Putting principles before profits
Putting principles before profits
