Chief Rabbi Slams Neturei Karta

Totally Jewish News, UK/December 15, 2006

By Alex Sholem

The Chief Rabbi today spoke out against Neturei Karta, describing its involvement in Iran's Holocaust denial conference as an "unforgivable betrayal" of the memory of those killed in the Shoah.

Members of the religious anti-zionist sect have been present in Tehran for this week’s conference, at which Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday repeated his call for Israel to be wiped off the map.

Photographs of Neturei Karta members with other attendees have been widely circulated in the mainstream media.

In a strongly worded statement, Sir Jonathan said the summit confirmed “the depths to which the Iranian President is prepared to sink to demonstrate his evil intentions towards the Jewish people and the State of Israel, intentions which the world must take seriously”.

He added: “The participation of members of Neturei Karta in the conference is an unforgivable betrayal of the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Their support for nations, terrorist organisations and political leaders dedicated to the destruction of the State of Israel is profoundly dangerous and has appalled the overwhelming majority of our community.

“Lest those unfamiliar with Neturei Karta take it to represent a significant strand within Jewry, it should be made clear that it is an extremely small and unrepresentative sect whose views are rejected by the overwhelming majority of Jews, religious and secular alike.”