Ex-general likens Israel to Nazi Germany

Former Israeli army General Yair Golan compared yesterday Israel’s right-wing politicians to the Nazis.

In an interview with Radio Darom, the newly elected member of the Knesset, representing the Democratic Union alliance, said: “I’m reminding people that the Nazis came to power democratically, so we have to be careful, very careful, so that extremist figures with a messianic view won’t exploit Israeli democracy to replace the system of government.”

This is not the first time Golan has likened Israeli policies to those of the Nazis, in May 2016 during a speech to mark Holocaust Day, he claimed “’the horrific processes which developed in Europe” and led to the Nazi genocide were present in Israel today.

His comments angered my Israeli politicians with head of the right-wing Yamina bloc, Ayelat Shaked, saying: “Maybe give up already on this obsession with comparing us to Nazis? It’s not even annoying at this point, just pathetic.”

OPINION: Comparing Israel to Nazis is ‘anti-Semitic’ in revised US definition