Israel condemns Russian foreign minister's "unforgivable" Hitler remarks
AxiosJul 28, 2022
Israel Says Putin Apologized for FM's Hitler Remarks
Image copyright: Getty Images [via Business Insider]
The Facts
Russian Pres. Putin has reportedly apologized to Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett over comments made by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claiming Adolf Hitler had Jewish blood, according to a statement from the Israeli PM's office.
The statement said: "The prime minister accepted President Putin's apology for Lavrov's remarks and thanked him for clarifying his attitude towards the Jewish people and the memory of the Holocaust."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This apology is welcome, and expected. Lavrov was using the Holocaust as a political tool to justify Russia's horrific acts in Ukraine. This is blatant antisemitism, as Lavrov was falsely turning victims into criminals. He must be held accountable for his comments.
Establishment-critical narrative
While there's no excuse for Russia's brutality – and Lavrov's inflammatory comments should be rightly condemned – it would be dangerous to deny Ukraine's antisemitic history, or present-day embrace of neo-Nazis in some quarters. These factions have gained disturbing political clout over the past decade, and have even become integrated in Ukraine's armed forces. Not acknowledging this threat means little can be done to guard against it.