BRUSSELS—An EU spokesperson said Sunday that Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani’s remarks bringing into question Israel’s legitimacy ‘’are totally unacceptable.’’
‘’They are also incompatible with the need to address international disputes through dialogue and international law,’’ the spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.
‘’The European Union reiterates its fundamental commitment to the security of Israel, including with regard to current and emerging threats in the region,’’ the statement added.
Addressing an annual Islamic Unity Conference on Saturday, the Iranian president said, “One of the ominous results of World War II was the formation of a cancerous tumor in the region.”
He also referred to Israel as a “fake regime” set up by Western countries.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, whose country currentky chairs the EU Council of Ministers, condemned Rouhani’s remarks and likened them to anti-Semitism.
“I strongly condemn the recent unacceptable statements by President Rouhani relating to Israel. It is absolutely unacceptable when Israel’s right to exist is questioned or Israel’s destruction is being urged,” he tweeted.
“Because of our historical responsibility, the decisive combat against all forms of anti-Semitism and the support for Israel are especially important to us. For Austria, Israel’s security is non-negotiable,” the Austrian leader said.
Speaking at the Deutscher Israelkongress in Frankfurt, Europe’s largest pro-Israel conference, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy , called on Germany ”to take a more aggressive stance against the Iranian regime” . ”It was only yesterday that President Rouhani called Israel metastatic cancer. History has taught us that anti-Semitic threats from fanatical leaders, and exporters of terror who have hegemonic aspirations, must be taken seriously.”
Minister Erdan declared that the common goal should be to change the behavior of the Iranian regime: “Forcing a change in Iran’s behavior is necessary for the safety of the people of Israel, of the people of Iran, and of the people of Europe.”
Minister Erdan said that Israel has been revealed to several Iranian attempts to carry out terror attacks on European soil, which Israel helped exposed: “Iran will not stop and continue to try to carry out terror attacks in Europe.”
He also said Europe ”needs to fight BDS just as it should be fighting classic anti-Semitism.”
”Today, this new manifestation of anti-Semitism calls for the boycott of the Jewish state and threatens those who refuse to capitulate. The EU would never finance organizations that promote racism, so too it should cease funding organizations that promote boycotts against the State of Israel. Germany can lead the way in halting the flow of funds to these organizations,” Erdan said.