Posted by: Jennifer L. Schenker on May 13
The May 13 opening plenary session at Israeli President Shimon Peres’ conference celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary featured an extraordinary mix of guests, including a long list of heads of state, scholars, religious leaders, Nobel laureates, philosophers, and media moguls.
One of the keynotes was given by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, an accomplished writer and human rights activist who won the 1986 Nobel Prize for peace. Wiesel told the gathered world leaders that it is “a disgrace” that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being received in capitals around the globe since he is threatening Israel with nuclear attack. “He should be persona non grata in any civilized society,” says Wiesel.
Members of the audience included the current presidents of Albania, Angola, Burkino Faso, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Rwanda, Slovania, Uganda, Slovakia, and Ukraine, as well as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Vaclav Havel, the 10th and last president of Czechoslovakia, and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Wiesel acknowledged in his talk that Israel is not perfect, alluding to its many problems. But, he stressed, Israel does not want its dream to become anyone else’s nightmare. “If Israel could make peace with Germany who is to say it could not do the same with the Palestinians?” he asked.
Elie Wiesel is welcome to his/her own comment, but the fact is that President Ahmadinejad never called for any country's destruction. (I don't know how people are translating Ahmadinejad's speeches into English, but he has never said anything to that effect in Persian.)
This is just another attempt by the U.S. to attack and occupy another oil-rich country in the Persian Gulf. Iran is home the the Middle East's 2nd largest Jewish population (2nd only to Israel). And there isn't any sort of descrimiation against them. (Look it up.)
Besides, Ahmadinejad isn't even the commander-in-chief of the military. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the commander-in-chief, and he himself is known as being pragmatic.
I don't believe Ahmadinejad has threatened to nuke Israel, nevertheless it'd be nice if he is banned from world capitals due to his extreme stupidity.
On the same account Hillary Clinton should not be welcome in any civilized society after her "totally obliterate Iran" comments and her refusal to apologize.
Mehdi, you are an idiot. I am Persian as well. Ahmadinjad is an idiot like you and Khamenai. Ahmadinejad and Khamenai have occupied Iran for more than 30 years. They have one intention from their nuclear activities, to build a bomb.
Tell us one Iranian who has died from Israel or Israelis. I can tell you that over a million Iranians died at the hand of Iraq. Yet Ahmadinjad considers Iraq a friend.
You and your beloved Mullahs have destroyed Iran. Now, they are working on destroying the rest of the world. Stop commenting about Elie Wiesel. He has done more for this world than any of us. Someone has to stop this nonsense from Ahmadinajad and his supporters before is too late. I also understand Persian. The translation was very clear to me. Stop telling people lies.
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