Iran’s President Denies Being Hostile to Israelis
The New York Times reports that Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has denied rejection of the Israeli people, saying that he is actually a friend to the Israeli community. In the past and even now he and his cabinet have been heavily opposed to the Zionist regime; however, despite his dislike of Zionism, he claims to have shown his support of the people of Israel. Some say that he is extending a warmer hand to the people of Israel due to pressure by the West over Iran’s nuclear program.
The Iranian Vice President of Tourism, Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, has also attempted to show friendship for the Israeli people. President Ahmadinejad has been supporting all of Mashai’s comments to the press.
The new position President Ahmadinejad has taken is in contradiction to his beliefs about Israel expressed earlier this year. According to the NYT, he referred to the Holocaust as “fake” and “accused Israel of perpetrating a holocaust on Palestinians.”
Roopa Radakrishnan
