'Holocaust denier' set for key role in Greek government?
Georgios Karatzaferis, right-wing leader who previously compared IDF to Hitler may have major role in new government
Greek media reported Thursday that Karatzaferis played a central role in the steps that led to the establishment of a government that would try to navigate Greece out of its debt crisis by implementing a European financial plan. The reports also said he was set to be part of the new government.
Reports claim that in the last few years, Karatzaferis made a long line of anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli statements. After the 9/11 attacks in New York, the politician posed the question "why were all the Jews warned not to come to work that day?" before the Greek parliament.
On a televised debate with Israel's ambassador to Greece he said: "Lets talk about all these tales of Auschwitz and Dachau"; in 2002 during a parliament session he asked the then Greek prime minister: "Is it true that your daughter secretly married a Jew?"; and during Operation Cast Lead in 2008, Karatzaferis said that the IDF was acting "with savage brutality only seen in Hitler's time towards helpless people."
Karatzaferis - asked about 'Auschwitz tales' (Photo: EPA)
Greek media reported that LAOS, the Popular Orthodox Rally party - an extreme right party established by Karatzaferis in 2000 with 7% of the vote in the last elections - will most likely be a partner in the national unity government.
They will join the government together with the left-wing PASOK party which has been in power until only recently, and the right-wing New Democracy party. It was claimed that Karatzaferis may even take up a role as a minister.
Karatzaferis in Greek government negotiations (Photo: Reuters)
In the last few days, the Central Committee of German Jews published a letter in which they demanded that European countries put pressure on the central parties in Greece to refuse to cooperate with the party.
"A professed anti-Semitic politician cannot serve in a government with which the German government will need to negotiate billions in aid," Committee Chairman Dieter Graumann told Germany's Bild.
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