JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

J Street blasts Hamas’ Holocaust denial

By Eric Fingerhut · September 1, 2009

J Street is condemning Hamas' Holocaust denial. In a statement, J Street executive director Jeremy Ben-Ami said that "we call on leaders and political movements throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds to cease using Holocaust denial as a political tool. As President Obama remarked in his speech in Cairo, Holocaust denial 'is baseless, it is ignorant, and it is hateful.' Hamas’ continued use of such incendiary rhetoric – not to mention its ongoing use of terror and violence – undercuts efforts to find a path to its inclusion in a political two-state resolution to the conflict."

The full statement is after the jump:

J Street unequivocally condemns Holocaust denial by Hamas officials, most recently in an open letter to UNRWA Chief John Ging stating that the group refuses to “let our children study a lie invented by the Zionists”.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshal remarked to the The New York Times that Hamas needs to be “part of the solution” but it is difficult to take that seriously while Hamas officials continue to perpetuate and promote Holocaust denial.

We call on leaders and political movements throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds to cease using Holocaust denial as a political tool.  As President Obama remarked in his speech in Cairo, Holocaust denial “is baseless, it is ignorant, and it is hateful.”

Hamas’ continued use of such incendiary rhetoric – not to mention its ongoing use of terror and violence – undercuts efforts to find a path to its inclusion in a political two-state resolution to the conflict.