Tehran: send Jews back to Germany; Berlin: “totally unacceptable”

You can’t make this stuff up. From the Jerusalem Post, Dec. 8:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continued his anti-Israel rhetoric Thursday afternoon, denying the Holocaust and calling on Germany and Austria to create a Jewish State within their borders, Israel Radio reported.

“We do not believe that Hitler killed six million Jews, but even if this is true by some chance, then why should the Palestinians pay the price for it,” he asked, and suggested that the governments in Vienna and Berlin concede two or three provinces to the Zionists and settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict once and for all.

“If Germany and Austria feel responsible that the Jewish people suffered at their hands during the Second World War, then all they should do is create a Zionist State in their territory,” he said in a television interview in Teheran.

Here’s another version, on Japan Today from combined wire reports:

Ahmadinejad, who in October said arch-enemy Israel must be “wiped off the map,” said that if Germany and Austria believed Jews were massacred during World War II, a state of Israel should be established on their soil.

“You believe the Jews were oppressed, why should the Palestinian Muslims have to pay the price?” he asked in an interview with Iranian state television’s Arabic-language satellite channel, Al-Alam.

“You oppressed them, so give a part of Europe to the Zionist regime so they can establish any government they want. We would support it,” he said.

“So, Germany and Austria, come and give one, two or any number of your provinces to the Zionist regime so they can create a country there… and the problem will be solved at its root,” he said.

“Why do they insist on imposing themselves on other powers and creating a tumor so there is always tension and conflict?”

Among the requisite outraged responses from Western leaders, we especially love this one:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Ahmadinejad’s combative suggestion…was “totally unacceptable”…

Yes, we’re sure it is, Ms. Merkel.

Then there’s the 100% predictable White House response:

“It just further underscores our concerns about the regime in Iran. And it’s all the more reason why it’s so important that the regime not have the ability to develop nuclear weapons,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

Do you think Ahmadinejad is secretly working for the White House?

See our last post on Iran.