New York, Dec. 19, 2006 ? It was one year ago that the National Council of Churches USA condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claim that the Holocaust was "a myth."
Iran's recent hosting of a meeting of Holocaust deniers is "regrettable, unfortunate and repugnant," said Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, NCC's associate general secretary for international affairs and peace.
The slaughter of millions of Jews and others whom the fascist regime of Adolf Hitler deemed unfit for life is a historical fact recorded as a reminder of the horrible things human beings can do to one another. This historical record is extensively documented even in Nazi archives, which belies the Conference?s assertion that the Holocaust was a fabrication.
"It is a critical time for all the world to seek peace in the Middle East, a region that has seen too much death and hatred among peoples," Kireopoulos said. "An ill-conceived conference called for the express purpose of denying what the world knows is true does not help the peace process at all. In fact, it would seem that such a stance undercuts the potential role Iran could play as a possible diplomatic partner in resolving tensions in the region."
Last week the NCC welcomed the report of the Iraq Study Group, which included a suggestion that Iran could play a role in helping to stabilize Iraq, and that diplomacy should be pursued to that end. The NCC also joined last week with a broad coalition of Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders in calling for a renewed initiative toward peace in Israel and Palestine.
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