PARIS—The U.S. closed its booth at the International Book Fair in Cairo after leaning by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre of the presence of antisemiric materials at the fair.
According to Shimon Samuels, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, three staples of antisemitic literature are featured this year in the Egyptian stand : ‘The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,’ Henry Ford’s ‘International Jew’ and Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf.’
U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaire in Cairo, Thomas H. Goldberger, responded to the Centre’s Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels : “On receipt of your letter, I immediately contacted the Egyptian government on the phone and in writing to protest the presence of antisemitic materials at the Cairo International Book Fair and to demand that it take immediate action to remove the materials.”
“I also instructed my staff to close the Embassy’s booth at the CIBF, and we will not reopen.I have also brought this matter to the attention of the Department of State,” he added.
Samuels thanked the U.S. Chargé for his immediate action,adding, “We await similar reactions, following the American example” from the French, British and Egyptian authorities,” he said.
Earlier, in an open letter to Egyptian Culture Minister Abdel-Dayemm, Shimon Samuels wrote that ” to incite hatred against Jews” at a time when Israel and Egypt are working together to fight terrorism is “undermining (Egyptian) President el-Sisi’s operational policy.”
Printed in Russia in 1903 “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” describes notes taken at an alleged secret meeting in which Jewish leaders discuss their plans to take over the world.
The book was composed by the Russian secret police using existing literary sources such as previous antisemitic tracts and satires on Napoleon and his efforts to unite Europe.
Henry Ford financed the printing of the book in English in the US and followed that publication with “The International Jew” in the 1920’s, a work that shared with the public what Ford himself thinks of Jewish people.
Ford was much appreciated by Adolf Hitler and is mentioned by name in ‘’Mein Kampf.’’