SWC Condemns Belgian Development Minister’s Comments Comparing Israel to Nazi Germany

January 11, 2024

The Simon Wiesenthal Center condemns Belgian Development Minister Caroline Gennez's unjust and offensive criticism of Germany's support of Israel and her libelous comparison of Israel's actions in Gaza with genocidal Nazi Germany. SWC demands that Minister Gennez retract her comments..

“It’s no secret that millions of Europeans believe the oft repeated lie that what the Nazis did to the Jews in the 1930s and 40s, Israel is doing to the Palestinians in our time. This fraudulent comparison is now trotted out by a politician who is aghast that democratic Germany understands that Hamas’ mass murders, mass rapes, and mass kidnapping of Israelis  on Oct 7^th 2023, demanded Israel’s all out response. Germany understands that Israel’s fight is with Hamas terrorists not innocent Palestinians and that the terrorists have converted Gaza into a massive, militarized enclave that uses children and adult Israelis and Palestinian civilians as human shields. Minister Gennez should be led by facts, not biased and baseless propaganda when speaking about the war in Gaza. She might actually want to ask herself: Why as a woman and leader have I not actively tried to save innocent Israeli women and girls from terrorist  Hamas thugs; why am I demonizing the victim instead of the victimizer?,” stated Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC Associate Dean and Global Social Action Director.

“We commend the German Ambassador to Belgium, Martin Kotthaus, for his strong stance in defending Israel's right to self-defense against terrorism and his rejection of the inappropriate Shoah comparisons. Ambassador Kotthaus's commitment to historical accuracy and the truth is a beacon of hope in these troubling times,” added Daniel Schuster, Senior Representative Europe of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. 

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Shawn Rodgers at srodgers@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).