Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman rejected Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' apology over an anti-Semitic speech in which he argued the historic persecution of European Jews was the result of their conduct.
In a post to Twitter on Friday, Lieberman wrote, "Abu Mazen [Abbas] is a wretched Holocaust denier, who wrote his doctorate on Holocaust denial and later also published a book about Holocaust denial. That is how he should be treated. His apology is not accepted."
Abbas issued an apology earlier Friday over remarks in his speech Monday to the Palestine National Council, which was sharply condemned as anti-Semitic by Israel, the U.S., United Nations, European Union and others.
In a statement issued by his office in Ramallah on Friday, Abbas condemned anti-Semitism and called the Holocaust the "most heinous crime in history."
"If people were offended by my statement in front of the PNC, especially people of the Jewish faith, I apologize to them. I would like to assure everyone that it was not my intention to do so, and to reiterate my full respect for the Jewish faith, as well as other monotheistic faiths," the statement read.
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan tweeted Friday that "#Abbas' 'apology' for his #antisemitic remarks is a pathetic attempt to escape criticism for his distortion of #Jewish history, his incitement to terror, and his payment of salaries to the murderers of children. It would be better if he would just ask for forgiveness and retire."
Meanwhile, Kuwait blocked the U.N. Security Council from issuing a U.S.-sponsored statement excoriating Abbas for what Washington called "vile anti-Semitic slurs and baseless conspiracy theories."
Kuwait is the Arab representative on the 15-member council and two diplomats said it opposed the press statement on grounds that it was not comprehensive. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because consultations were private.
In a lengthy speech on Monday, Abbas said it was the Jews' "social function," including money lending, which caused animosity toward them in Europe and resulted in the Holocaust. He also described the creation of Israel as a European colonial project, saying "history tells us there is no basis for the Jewish homeland."
U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley was sharply critical of the Security Council's failure to respond.
"Disgusting anti-Semitic statements from the Palestinian leadership obviously undermine the prospects for Middle East peace," she said in a statement. "When the Security Council cannot reach consensus on denouncing such actions, it only further undermines the U.N.'s credibility in addressing this critical issue."
The proposed statement, circulated by the U.S. on Friday, would have expressed the Security Council's "firm and unequivocal rejection of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial" and called on Abbas "to refrain from anti-Semitic comments.
The draft would also have recalled "that anti-Semitism has historically contributed to threats to international peace and security, mass atrocities, and widespread violations of human rights."
In a rare move on Wednesday, the European Union's Foreign Affair Council issued a scathing criticism of Abbas' speech, which it said, "contained unacceptable remarks concerning the origins of the Holocaust and Israel's legitimacy. Such rhetoric will only play into the hands of those who do not want a two-state solution, which President Abbas has repeatedly advocated. Antisemitism is not only a threat for Jews but a fundamental menace to our open and liberal societies.
"The European Union remains committed to combat any form of anti-Semitism and any attempt to condone, justify or grossly trivialize the Holocaust."
Many on Arab social media criticized Abbas for apologizing for his remarks, with one Twitter user accusing the PA leader of being not just a collaborator, but Israel's servant.
