Knesset Speaker Rejects Genocide Claims, Cites Holocaust Memorial Book

By ישראל זאב לוונטהל לוונטהל

Translated & summarized from JDN by baba

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Hebrew · 8 newsrooms covering

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana rejected genocide accusations against Israel at the Council of Europe in Rome, presenting a Holocaust memorial book. He urged European leaders to support Israel against terrorism, highlighting the intentional targeting of civilians on October 7. Ohana stated the war is a global fight for freedom against extremism. His speech received applause, and he held bilateral meetings with several European delegations.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana rejected genocide claims against Israel at the Council of Europe in Rome.
Ohana presented a memorial book with six million "Jew" entries to represent Holocaust victims.
He stated that civilians were intentionally targeted by Hamas on October 7, not collateral damage.
Ohana urged European leaders to stand with Israel in its fight against extremism and terrorism.
The Knesset Speaker held meetings with parliamentary leaders from several European countries.
The speech was met with applause, and the Assembly President thanked Ohana in Hebrew.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana strongly refuted accusations that Israel is committing genocide during a speech to parliamentary leaders in Rome on Thursday. Addressing the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly, Ohana held up a memorial book created by Phil Chernovsky, containing the word "Jew" printed six million times in small English letters, to represent each Jewish victim of the Holocaust. "Everyone in this room knows the truth, Israel is not committing genocide. Enough of this despicable lie," Ohana declared, emphasizing that Israel acts to prevent genocide and ensure the security of the Jewish people.

Ohana criticized world leaders who he claimed make statements about values but fail to defend them when tested, accusing some of knowingly supporting false propaganda for political gain and a "false sense of quiet." He specifically referenced the Hamas attack on October 7, stating that the harm to civilians was intentional, not collateral damage, and that innocent men, women, children, and babies were the targets.

Presenting the weighty memorial book, Ohana explained that each "Jew" represents a human life and that its size and weight convey the scale of loss experienced by the Jewish people during the Holocaust in Europe. He stated that the book serves as a constant reminder on his desk in the Knesset of the commitment to "never again."

Concluding his address, Ohana framed the current conflict not as a local dispute but as part of a broader struggle between extremism and fundamentalism against liberty and democracy. He urged the assembled leaders to "stand on the right side of history, with us."

The speech was met with applause, and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Petra Bayer, thanked Ohana in Hebrew. During his visit to Rome, Ohana also held meetings with parliamentary leaders and delegations from Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, Montenegro, Cyprus, and Croatia to strengthen inter-parliamentary ties and present Israel's positions.