Spanish Social Media Called Me a “Nazi”...Podemos Leader Retires from Politics

May 5, 2021

“Madrid election won by centre-right... Wiesenthal Centre urges Madrid Assembly "to inspire national government to boycott Durban anniversary as an exercise of hate camouflaged as human rights.”

 

PARIS—In March 2021, the Wiesenthal Centre addressed democratic member-states of the United Nations Geneva-based Human Rights Council (HRC), urging them to boycott the planned 20th anniversary of the “UN World Conference Against Racism” - now known as Durban IV - at UN New York Headquarters in September.

 

“Held in South Africa, the first edition of this event had turned into an antisemitic pogrom,” claimed the Centre’s Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels.

 

“Two centre-right Partido Popular members of the Spanish Cortes (Parliament) had received our appeal and made an official question to the Government. The reply revealed that Spain was leading a campaign in the European Union and across Latin America in favour of this, the 4th Durban meeting. Durban II and III were opened by then Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, with a Jew-hatred outpour.”

 

Samuels discovered that, "the extreme-left party, Podemos, has been active active in a post-Durban vector called the World Social Forum. The party’s leader, Pablo Iglesias, has, reportedly, close ties with Tehran. As a member of Spain’s government coalition, Podemos' anti-Israel and antisemitic positions, apparently, acted in favour of support for Durban IV."...“This revelation went viral in Spanish media. On social media, I was called 'The Nazi Samuels' and charged with 'intervention in Spanish politics,' particularly this week's Madrid regional elections."

 

Iglesias, had left his position as Spanish Deputy Prime Minister to stand for the important Madrid ballot. In view of the result, he has announced his retirement from politics.

 

The centre-right Partido Popular (PP) leader, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, was returned in a landslide re-election.

 

Samuels stressed, “We wish her every success...”

 

“La Vanguardia well-known columnist, Pilar Rahola, came out in my defence in support of Spain’s acceptance of the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) Definition of Antisemitism... We now call on Madam Ayuso to see that the definition is clearly applied in the Madrid region and, in that spirit, to inspire the national government to boycott Durban IV as a specious exercise of hate camouflaged as human rights,” concluded Samuels.

For further information contact Dr. Shimon Samuels at csweurope@gmail.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).