"various perceptions of the Holocaust" sounds to me like they would be exploring facts as well as the holocaust denial phenomenon. My take is that if ADL etc can't handle actual debate (either good or bad) about an historical event then it needs to stop promoting the Holocaust , plain and simple.

As a Holocaust survivor I am outraged by this "activity" of the highest Swiss diplomat (she is also Swiss FM) ! It is frustrating to witness how some official representatives of Western countries insensibly handle this horrible mass murder on Jewish people - only 60 years after.

I actually think this would be a good idea and should be taken up because what better way than make this madman of an Iranian look like an idiot than to have a proper and serious debate with him about the holocaust and every lie he spews could be countered by sensible and rational debate. I think the ADL is wrong on this as what a great way for the world to realise just what a lunatic he is, and than all his rhectoric is useless. I say go for it and the Swiss would be a neutral venue for a debate to take place as well. Just my thoughts on this..

There's nothing more to discuss about the Holocaust with Ahmadinejad and his ilk. The Swiss government is naive and ignorant at best, to even consider giving a platform to a man who calls on a daily basis for Israel's destruction and rewrites history to help achieve his warped fundamentalist goals.

The largest synagogue in Geneva was attacked and burnt down a few weeks ago. Switzerland is hostile towards both Jews and Israel. Now we hear this.

In my view Calmy Rey is hostile towards Israel. She is an idiot and an antisemite though I believe her husband is partly a Romanian Jew. Her hypocritical smile gets on my nerves.

Is she crazy? I don't think so. What leverage does iran have on the Swiss? She is disgraceful!

How about if your mother or sister gets raped we'll have a conference and discuss whether they welcomed and enjoyed it? What day are you free?

Couldn't agree more. Let's get this out in the open so there are no mistakes. One way or the other.

initiative de geneve with iossi beilin invitation of ismael hanieh burial of arafat

... from a country that only in 2004 introduced a law to pardon (yes: pardon) people who assisted (no need to read it twice: pardon people who assisted) Jews in escaping from the holocaust. even the beeb saw this as newsworthy: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3530259.stm oh, and all that money belonging to holocaust victims they still hold on to? at least the nazis were forthright in claiming their intent...

Switzerland has morons as leaders (just like Israel it seems) anyone stupid and naiive enough to believe this "perceptions" is a just and objective analysis by Iran should seek help. Love the doublespeak that Iran is getting good at using, "perceptions" aka genocide denial.

#16 what the BBC fails to mention is that the Swiss lady who saved the 15 Jewish children and who was jailed was Jewish herself. Another example of their distortion of news and failing to tell the whole story.

The Holocaust did happen. 6 million Jews were systematically murdered by German Nazis. Why is it a big deal that Iran wants to keep bringing it up. If I were Jewish I would love it because the more they talk, the stupider they seem! #12, I'm afraid you completely miss the point, if my mother and sister were indeed raped then people can debate it all they want it wouldn't bother me, facts are facts and there are documents to prove all facts. ADL is absolutely ridiculous, the so-called "anti-defamation league" specializes in defaming anyone that criticizes Israel and is one of the more racist groups in American society.

You can't stop people from trying to understand historical events. The fierce posturing against any form of debat on any subject by one side gives rise to suspicions to the validity of their positions.

What exactly is there to debate? Get exactly "what" out in the open? What "perceptions"? It happened. It is one of the most well documented, historical horrors in modern history. Haven't you seen the actual videos and photographs taken by the Nazis themselves? Or read the Nazi's own documentation? There are tons of it-literally and easily available. The only "perceptions" that have any validity, whatsoever, are those of the people who suffered it. The only reason that this BS is taking place is so that hateful, sick, evil souls can ease their guilt, or, in the case of Iran, seek to perpetrate the same evil acts again. Don't worry about what the ADL can handle. Be worried about what G-D is willing to handle. Only yesterday, just as Israel issued a warning to Iran, a rare, record- breaking cyclone headed towards Iran. That was Hashem's warning. Heed it well. It is only the beginning. G-D Blesses those that Bless Israel, and Curses those that Curse Israel.

If we are to begin to debate or hold conferences on historical events then why stop with the Holocaust, let us also investigate whether Mohamed was a prophet or was he just a great warrior, is Islam a true religion or is just a notion that gives rise to violent people to excuse their murderous acts so forth and so forth. As there is no person alive today that can bring first hand testimony on the events as described in any religious books of any religion, yet it is acceptable to all haters to question an event that has thousands of survivors alive today that have and still give first hand testimony of their personal suffering during the period of the Shoa (1933-1948) the reason I included the periods to 1948 was, the Jews still were incarcerated in concentration camps and guarded by the British army.

Why such knee-jerk reactions whenever anyone brings up this subject? Do you have anything to hide???

As a moslem I have no problem discussing "whether mohhamad was a great prophet or anything about Eslam - the more the better. The question is not whether the Shoa happened or not. The question is whether a bunch of Zionist terrorist and land thieves used it to occupy other people's land by hook or by crook - or both. You dig? Let's talk about the Shoa until the cows come home. You people must have something really big to hide. Otherwise you Zionist spy agencies like the ADL woudl not try to silence anyone who wanted to talk about Shoa.

Josh, were this about military tactics of Spartans and Athenians, or pottery techniques used by Native Americans, or the justification for the Vietnam War, there might be plenty of room for 'open debate' in attempts to 'understand historical events'. But it's not. It's about the systematic, hate-filled murder of 12 million people (it wasn't just Jews killed in the Holocaust). The Iranian President does not seek to clarify minutiae of Nazi extermination techniques, he seeks to bring into question whether the Holocaust happened to the extent which it did. Removing the Holocaust from history on the world arena is the first step towards justifying the need to committing it again. And that is why Jews and the ADL and others are so fervently against the 'clarifying of perceptions' on the world stage.

Is it not absurd to think that a law can settle a issue or debate of an intellectual nature? Did any of the laws here in my country prevent me from thinking however I please about the Holocaust? Worse, often a law can backfire and have an unwanted result. Imagine how many young Germans are recruited to the side which opposes these laws every single day, due to their quite justified sense of resentment, until these pointless and clearly counterproductive laws are gone. Each and every single day.

You challenged me to debate you on historical facts are they true and or believable and corroborated with other facts that would give your position credibility, I would love to, but before we begin you must first provide me with your CV, (If you don’t know what that is there is nothing that you ever write will be considered by me as written by an intellectual) so that I know that you have the intelligence to backup your assertions, judging from your many talkbacks all you seem to espouse is a rehash of a delusional Islamic superiority.trash.