Haaretz
Nisan 27, 5766
In wide-ranging remarks,
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday that Israel was an
artificial state that could not continue to exist.
"Some 60 years
has passed since the end of World War II, why should the people of Germany
and Palestine pay now for a war in which the current generation was not
involved," Ahmadinejad told a press conference.
"We say that this
fake regime cannot not logically continue to live," he said.
The
Iranian president has long campaigned against Israel, saying last October
that Israel should be "wiped off the map." He has said Europe should find
a home for Israelis, who should not live on Palestinian land.
"Open
the doors [of Europe] and let the Jews go back to their own countries,"
the president said Monday.
He added that Europeans should jettison
their "anti-semitism" to enable Israelis to "return" to their continent,
and "allow Palestinians to decide their own fate and live
freely."
Ahmadinejad also hinted that Iran would consider
withdrawing from the United Nations nuclear agency if membership produced
no benefit.
"What has more than 30 years of membership in the
agency given us?" he asked rhetorically at a press
conference.
"Working in the framework of the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty and the agency is our concrete policy," he added.
"(But) if we see that they are violating our rights, or they don't want to
accept (our rights), well, we will revise."
The UN body, the
International Atomic Energy Agency, has accused Iran of failing to answer
all questions about its nuclear program and reported the country to the
Security Council for non-compliance with its demands.
The Security
Council has given Iran until Friday to suspend enrichment of uranium, a
process that can produce fuel for nuclear reactors material for nuclear
warheads. Iran has rejected the demand, arguing it is entitled to the
peaceful use of enrichment as a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation
Treaty.
Ahmadinejad often gives long, rambling speeches but Monday
was one of the rare occasions when he allowed foreign journalists to
question him. He seemed to enjoy the encounter, making jokes and putting
questions to the reporters.