Netanyahu blasts Abbas for making "anti-Semitism" remarks on Holocaust

JERUSALEM, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday lashed out at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for the latter's comments that the Jewish Holocaust was not caused by anti-Semitism.

Abbas told a meeting in the West Bank that the Nazi genocide of Jews in Europe during World War II was a result of their financial activities, not due to anti-Semitism.

Netanyahu slammed the remarks as "another anti-Semitic speech," while calling Abbas a "Holocaust-denier."

"With utmost ignorance and brazen gall, he (Abbas) claimed that European Jews were persecuted and murdered not because they were Jews but because they gave loans with interest," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Abbas "again recited the most contemptible anti-Semitic canards," the Israeli leader said.

Netanyahu urged the international community to condemn Abbas' "severe anti-Semitism."

The latest dispute came as the tensions between Israel and the Palestinians have been rising since the Palestinians started massive protests along the Israeli border with Gaza Strip later March against Israeli occupation and blockade.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed and thousands of others wounded during the clashes with Israeli security forces, which sometimes used life fire to dispel the Palestinian protesters. Enditem