2007-01-03-Iran-Jewish history

By Ira Sharkansky

JERUSALEM—More Iranian madness. What follows are excerpts from an interview with a presidential advisor, appointed to be secretary-general of the World Foundation for Holocaust Studies.

The Bolshevik Soviet government in Lenin's time, and later, in Stalin's - both of whom were Jewish, though they presented themselves as Marxists and atheists... - was one of the forces that, until the Second World War, cooperated with Hitler in promoting the idea of establishing the State of Israel. . . . Adolf Hitler himself developed an aversion to Judaism because his mother was a Jewish whore. . . . Hitler simultaneously developed both feelings of solidarity with Judaism and feelings of hatred towards it, and this emotional ambivalence shaped his behavior towards the Jews. On the one hand, his entire family, the people who shared his views, and his associates who brought him into power and stood by him to the last - including his lovers and his personal doctor - were [all] Jewish. On the other hand, he welcomed the policy of expelling the Jews from Central Europe for two other reasons: Firstly, the establishment of a Jewish government in Palestine was an aspiration of the rich and influential Jews who surrounded him. Secondly, exiling the Jews from Europe and Germany was a general and historical demand of the Western Christian nations. With the full support of the British, and in coordination with them, Hitler addressed this general demand and [thereby] managed to gain widespread popularity in Europe. Obviously, publishing writings and information of this sort is forbidden in Germany and in the West...

If you want more, it is available at http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD140807

There is a serious argument that Hitler did have Jewish ancestry, but it does not hinge on his mother. (Those concerned about this might start at http://www.lloydthomas.org/1-IsraelTimeLine/7-1930-1999/hitler.html.) I am not aware that Lenin, Stalin, Hitler's lovers and his personal doctor as well as the people who brought him to power and remained as his associates were also Jews. We do accept credit for Jesus, and somewhat diluted credit (due to family conversions to Christianity) for Marx and Disraeli. Who really knows about Christopher Columbus?

We contest responsibility for bringing down the Twin Towers, despite views held by many people in Pakistan and other Muslim places.

Perhaps it is only the Iranian establishment that is not Jewish. But I wonder. There has been a substantial Jewish population in Persia since ancient times. There are hints in the Book of Esther of Jewish blood at high places, and who knows all the facts about Cyrus, the Persian leader credited with allowing the Jews exiled to Babylon to return home. Could we call him "The First Zionist?" "Righteous Gentile" would only be appropriate if we were sure that he had none of that Chosen blood.

Is this nonsense good for the Jews? On the one hand, it suggests the intellectual weakness of those who hate us. On the other hand, if they are bright enough to produce atomic weapons, we have reason for worry. Can we believe those who say that their nuclear program is peaceful when they also say that Hitler and his minions were Jews?

Despite all the claims noted above, there are not enough of us in key places to assure our future. Iran seems more populated by the descendants of Haman than of Mordecai. The Jews said to dominate the Bush administration wasted their power on the wrong war, and may have created the setting where Israel is due for punishment.

Is there anyone out there who can help us?

Sharkansky is an emeritus member of the political science department at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.