Germany asked to declare Ahmadinejad 'persona non grata'
Wiesenthal Center wants Iran's president kept away from World Cup after he made comments denying the Holocaust.
By The Associated PressBERLIN - The Simon Wiesenthal Center has urged Germany to declare Iran's president "persona non grata" if he decides to attend this year's World Cup.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has drawn international outrage for labeling the Nazi Holocaust a myth and calling for Israel's destruction.
He has not said whether he will travel to the World Cup, where Iran is one of the 32 teams competing. The German government has said a visit would be problematic but that, like other heads of state, he has a right to attend.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center expressed its concerns in a letter to Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday.
"After his denial of the Holocaust, his calls 'to wipe Israel off the world map,' his encouragement to global terrorism and his nuclear threats, President Ahmadinejad should not be welcome in Berlin," the letter said, according a statement from the European office of the Los Angeles-based organization.
The center "urged that Iran's president be declared persona non grata ... from German soil until he desists from such behavior that violates the norms of international relations," the statement added.
Germany has sharply criticized Ahmadinejad's comments on Israel and the Holocaust.
At the weekend, Wolfgang Bosbach, a senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, said the government should "make clear in a diplomatic way that Ahmadinejad's visit in Germany is not wanted."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter declined to join calls to ban President Ahmadinejad from the tournament.
"If any head of state wants to travel to Germany, this is a matter to be dealt with by the German authorities and definitely not by FIFA," Blatter said. "I would be happy that any head of state would accompany his team and to be present in Germany."
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Your both right and wrong. 1. He was here at the UN recently. 2. Heads of State have no special credentials that allow them to enter our country, if we want we can bar him. 3. I believe you don't give a bigger stage to a small man, especially one who longs for the destruction of another country albeit Israel. 4. This is for #6 "Monkey" your lack of indelcacy would have served you better with an expletive
God be With You. We all hope this sad state of affairs turns out good for your peoples as well as ours and the entire Middle East/World.
Most Palestinians say over and over and over again, that we are not against the Jews. We are against Israel in Palestine. I guess you and Kofi Annan would approve of a map showing Palestine and no Israel to be seen (as has happened recently at the UN). But, you can say it, scream it, put your sons and daughters to it, and in the end there will either be a Israel and Palestinian homeland or there will be just Israel in the end. As for Ahmadinejad who cares, remember Hitler, well he's gone too. There is no such place as Palestine, at least not in the way you would want it to be, (on the bones of other peoples). I read my history, I understand without passion what needs to be done, and voting for a murderous entity as Hamas to represent you and then say it was the will of the Democratic people, well you must think people outside of the Middle East don't understand. You know you are wrong and if you don't you will find out, and probably the hard way unfortunately.
FIFA's come out strongly against racism against black players, an Italian player using the fascist salute, and international fan violence. However, they continually come out in support of anyone who says anything bad about Jews. Only with anti-semitism does Bladder say that politics is outside of FIFA's scope. Anyone who's against anti-semitism should email FIFA at contact@fifa.org and tell them which country your from and that you won't go to FIFA games until they change.
Wasn't it the same FIFA that said less than 2 weeks ago "it was considering possible action over an Israeli air strike last week on a soccer field in the Gaza Strip"? (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtVty.jhtml?sw=fifa&itemNo=703693) Ahmadinejad is far worse than a destroyed soccer field in a war against terror. So Ahmadinejad should be declared 'persona non grata' period, not only in Germany.
"Israeli citizens are not allowed into the United Arab Emirates and are advised by the Israeli Foreign Office not to travel there. Katan joined West Ham in January and has so far started only once in the league. Benayoun, who arrived last summer, is a regular in the starting line-up and is considered a key player. He was substituted during Sunday's 4-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and looked unhappy with the decision of his manager Alan Pardew. Many West Ham supporters questioned on a fans' internet site the wisdom of having a camp in a country with a discrimination policy and with two players not attending. Paul Aldridge, the club's managing director, said: "The trip to Dubai has been planned in principal from very early in the season. Once a date was agreed for the trip we discussed the destination with Yossi and Yaniv and, although they did not wish to travel with the squad, they were insistent that the plans were not altered." http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1751257,00.html
FIFA is the body deserving of criticism "And where was FIFA in all this ? The World soccer organization has actively launched the 'Kick Racism out of Soccer' campaign. Yet, they did nothing, remained silent, while racial discrimination was being practised with their knowledge and approval." http://www.engageonline.org.uk/blog/article.php?id=366
He knows what he is doing and saying. The major problem is that we are feeding him what he needs to so he can fire back. I think it is a very wrong policy for the US to talk of nuclear war when even a small strike is not on the table......
Ramzi, you rock!!!!
Typical post of yours: anti-German, expressing expectations, assumptions and allegations. No facts, just prejudice without any substance. Germany's pro-Israeli position is more pronounced than that of the majority of EU members, the response to Ahmadinejad was clearer than clear but your contempt is obviously even greater than your ignorance.
hallo Andy, i take the liberty to answer for "av". Sons of Monkeys and Pigs is an Moslim expression for Jews, (in the Quran somewere) what applies to others, might it not also apply to themselves? DeeJay.
There is a Persian proverb which says " silence is the best answer to a stupid " Also Ahmagh in Farsi means stupid and Ahmaghi-nejad means the son of a stupid. This guy makes all Iranians ashamed for having him as the head of their country's government.
Hey Pali, I think I like you and just like you I love all the Pali brothers but not the murderous Gaza and the Westbank.
#6 Give evidence for that. #10 As much as I can remember it, the problem is that foreign heads of state are exempted from liablility under criminal law . I think thats the case in almost every country in the western hemisphere
Well, excuse me, but I thought that the new German Chancellor had already done that ! Was she serious?
Wasn't it that denying the Holocaust on German soil constitutes a crime? I hope that Germany will invoke its own laws during the World Cup, by denying entrance to such a grotesque individual.
By banning him you give him a bigger audience,just laugh at his idiocy,at the end of the day not all muslims are that stupid.The little man is a joke
It is time to sue this guy, in international court. If it is a crime in germany, sue him in germany, whenever he came...
I could not have said it better myself. Ahmadinejad likes to push the limit, just to evoke a strong response from Israel. I am thankful that Olmert's government has the dignity not to get into a war of words with him, and instead chooses to ignore his stupidity.
As already happened before, Germany will accept his visit, because he will be offering to sign some contracts for 2 or 3 Billion of Euros, and the german government will give to this the priority, rather than acting as a sovreign and responsible country
GERMANY WHATS ITS YOU WAITING FOR? BAN THE MONKEY NOW
We recgonie the holocaust that our Jewish brothers have lived during the Nazi period in Europe. Our smpathy with them for ever. We should work all togther to prevent such event to happen to any nation. Concerning Israel, Mr. Ahmadinejad is fully correct that this Zionist state is the main cause of the instability and the suffering in Palestine. The Jewish state has no legtimity to exist on the suffer of the Jewish people who in its majority refuse to be uprooted from their countries to live in racist zionist state. Yes for the Jewish people. No for the racist state of Israel.
Olmert's gang doesn't even dare to respond to Hamas suiciders,there're no bounds to Israeli leaders stooping and cringing. It's difficult to demand from Germany to wobble less than the Israeli leadership. Olmert is digging a grave for his country.
Ahmedinajad in Germany? He was involved in killing three kurds in Vienna. But Arafat was also in Europe. German authorities must make sure that ALL GOATS are well hidden from him.
I think that the German state definitely has to diplomatically respond to Iran's position at least by not letting Ahmanidjedad into the country for the FIFA 2006. If Iran hasn't been completely banned from the Championship, at least the most dangerous political figur, Iran's president shouldn't be accepted into Germany.
The Holocaust is well documented by those who carried it out, the Germans themselves. Ahmadinejad should be invited to Germany so that the Germans, the perpetrators of the Holocaust, can tell Ahmadinejad to his face that they, the Germans, are indeed guilty of this crime and they can show him the evidence of it. The Germans extensively documented their crimes in writing, on film and with photos. A side trip to some of the concentration camps will also be informative. Additionally, there are members of the old nazi regime that are still alive and live in Germany. Ahmadinejad should speak to them and petrhaps some survivors as well. By the time he's done in Germany he will have no basis upon which to ever deny the Holocaust. He'll have to find some other reason to hate Jews and Israel.
I agree with you fully. I'm very happy to see the distinction you draw between the indeed ugly occupation of Palestine and the plight of the Jewish people. I wish more people were that reasonable on both sides... Yair
Only if they have the courage of their convictions,will they deny entry. I doubt it. The Europeans are scared out their wits of the muslims,20 million potential suicide homicide bombers.
Good on ya, Ramzi! Your comments reflect a good sense of humanism and contribute to understanding between our peoples. Having a strong stance against antisemitism shows a solid human nature and that can only lead to good things. Shalom and Salaam Cheers Yoseph
I hope Germany will take this advice. Being anti Israeli occupation and subjugation of Palestinians is one thing, but Holocaust denial is an entirely different ball game, one that should not be tolerated by a head of government. This guy has lost all credibility with me despite pretending to support our cause.
The center is becoming a Joke. It supports murder in Palestine and unearth Musilm graves in Jerusalem and then talks about tolerance. I think the center should be oulawed.