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Last update - 17:34 26/09/2008
VIDEO / Despite UN speech, Jews dine with Ahmadinejad in New York
By Reuters
Tags: U.S., Israel News, Iran 

Despite Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech Tuesday where he railed against "Zionist murderers," a group of Jews had dinner with the Iranian President Thursday in New York.

The Jews were part of a larger group of some 200 people of various faiths including Mennonites, and Zoroastrians who said they wanted to promote peace by meeting such a prominent foe of the United States.

Outside the Manhattan hotel near the United Nations where the dinner took place, protesters held up placards such as "No feast with the beast" and likening Ahmadinejad to Hitler.
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On Tuesday the Iranian leader launched a blistering attack on Israel in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, dwelling on what he described as Zionist control of international finance.

President Shimon Peres has said the Iranian president's address was reminiscent of one the most notorious anti-Semitic tracts in history.

"This is the first time in the history of the United Nations that the head of a state is appearing openly and publicly with the ugly and dark accusations of the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion,'" Peres said after Ahmadinejad's speech.

Ahmadinejad rejected accusations he was anti-Semitic, saying his criticism was aimed at the "Zionist regime" for its oppression of the Palestinians rather than at Jews.

"As soon as anyone objects to the behavior of the Zionist regime, they're accused of being anti-Semitic, whereas the Jewish people are not Zionists," Ahmadinejad said. "Zionism is a political party that has nothing to do with Jewish people."

The Iranian leader gave a lengthy discourse on the need for religion in both private and public life, and the decline of morality in countries where politicians reject religion.

He also dwelled on the woes of the Palestinians and efforts by "selfish powers" to dominate the world and frustrate Iran's peaceful nuclear ambitions at the event billed as a discussion on religion's role in eliminating poverty, injustice and war.

"A lot of it was very challenging," said Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb who was also a speaker. She said that while Ahmadinejad had not denied the Holocaust in his speech, he had minimized it in the way he spoke about World War Two.

Ahmadinejad has said Israel should be wiped off the map. His government held a conference in 2006 questioning the fact that Nazis used gas chambers to kill 6 million Jews in World War Two.

"Our world views are rather different. But unless we ... dialogue face to face, how will we create any kind of understanding?" Gottlieb told Reuters, adding that she chose to attend because "peace is better than war."

Arli Klassen, executive director of the Mennonite Central Committee, introduced the discussion by saying armed conflict would solve nothing and dialogue was essential, especially with those whose views were most different.

"We are deeply concerned when your statements about the Holocaust minimize or diminish its impact on our world today, and on Jewish people today," she told Ahmadinejad. "We ask you to change the way you speak about the Holocaust."

She asked him to avoid rhetoric that "is heard as a threat to destroy the state of Israel," to allow religious freedom in Iran and to be transparent about Iran's nuclear program.

Harriett Jane Olson, a representative of the United Methodist Church, said she wished Ahmadinejad had talked about practical issues such as the treatment of women and children in Iran rather than focusing on abstract theological points.

Rohinton Dadina, a Zoroastrian priest who said a prayer at the dinner, said if Ahmadinejad's views were changed even one percent by what he heard, it was worth holding such events.


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      1.   A lesson taught by our Messiah. Good for them!!! 14:18  |  Virginia 26/09/08
      2.   fools 15:12  |  bobby 26/09/08
      3.   THE DEAFENING SILENCE IS BROKEN 15:16  |  Brant 26/09/08
      4.   Traitors 15:27  |  Jack 26/09/08
      5.   Israels right to exist is above any other nation 15:28  |  K 26/09/08
      6.   Did Rabbi`s eat a Kosher Meal? 16:09  |  * BEN JABO 26/09/08
      7.   nothing Jewish about this Rabbit 16:13  |  fred 26/09/08
      8.   liberals, neturei karta and munich 16:13  |  mg 26/09/08
      9.   # 1, VIRGINIA 16:16  |  indrajaya 26/09/08
      10.   WHY AHMADINEJAD MEETS SUCH ISRAEL-LOVING GANGSTERS? PUBLICITY? 19:10  |  JACKAL 26/09/08
      11.   Let`s hope they took the opportunity 20:52  |  Victoria 26/09/08
      12.   Not true Indy, not true at all. You see... 22:10  |  Virginia 26/09/08
      13.   The moral case for the existence of Israel 22:47  |  Fritz T. 26/09/08
      14.   Jewish extreme right joins hand with Jewish extreme left 00:20  |  Raymond in DC 27/09/08
      15.   None of those pacifists would be alive 00:56  |  Marcella, Canada 27/09/08
      16.   So true #12 01:25  |  Kathy 27/09/08
      17.   Virginia-that is just so silly #12 02:07  |  Joeseph Smith 27/09/08
      18.   Back at ya Kathy! And as we see prophecy unfold... 02:30  |  Virginia 27/09/08
      19.   #13 Fritz treads carefully 03:37  |  K 27/09/08
      20.   @13 fritz just one word "auschwitz" 09:14  |  victor hardman 27/09/08
      21.   Pacifists for War 13:12  |  FOX 27/09/08
      22.   STockholm or New York Syndrome? 13:20  |  FOX 27/09/08
      23.   Joseph Smith, I guess you do not know His Word. How sad. 13:37  |  GodISSpirit/Virginia 27/09/08
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