German cabinet spokesman Steffen Heibstreet said the German chancellor’s office called the head of a Palestinian Authority delegation after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ statements about the Holocaust.
Haibstreet said at a press conference today, Wednesday: “The Chancellor strongly condemns Abbas’s statement. The office of the Federal Counselor called the head of the Palestinian mission in Berlin, and during this meeting, the foreign policy adviser of the Palestinian side clearly conveyed this statement. The adviser expects the Palestinian President to unequivocally recognize the unique nature of the “Holocaust”. His yesterday’s incompetence casts a shadow on Germany’s relations with the organs of the Palestinian Authority.
He added that Scholz had agreed to speak tomorrow, Thursday, with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid to discuss the incident.
He continued: “The adviser expresses his regret that he was not able to speak during yesterday’s conference and directly respond to Abbas’s statement.”
Yesterday, Tuesday, a joint press conference was held in Berlin between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas following their talks in the office of the German Chancellor. Abbas was asked if the Palestinians intended to apologize for the 1972 Munich attack. In response, Abbas said that Israel had carried out “50 massacres and 50 holocausts” in Palestine since 1947.
Source: RIA Novosti