Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Sunday criticized Germany for supporting Israel in South Africa’s lawsuit at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) while using the Holocaust in a distorted manner and denigrating the memories of the victims.
“We can see that Germany has chosen a different path in dealing with its past. Just like 80 years ago, Berlin has once again opted for dividing people on ethnic grounds, albeit on a new, more sophisticated level,” claimed Zakharova.
Her criticism also related to Germany’s support for Ukraine, which Russia invaded under the guise that it wanted to “denazify” Ukraine.
Germany has surpassed other countries in the European Union in zealously defending the Kyiv regime which has made the glorification of Nazi accomplices a key domestic and foreign policy tenet,” said Zakharova.
“Berlin supports fighters holding neo-Nazi torch processions and glorifying World War II-era war criminals who have been borrowing their chevrons and stripes from SS divisions and decorating their military vehicles and gear with Wehrmacht’s symbols. These people seek to kill ethnic Russians, Russian nationals and Russian speakers, but Berlin has been sponsoring and arming them, offering them medical services and backing them on the international stage,” she charged.
The spokeswoman further claimed, “We have been witnessing an increase in the number of statements by German officials lately questioning whether Berlin should condemn its Nazi past. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz publicly said that Germany and Ukraine’s neo-Nazi regime were “on the right side of history,” which de facto amounted to exonerating Vladimir Zelensky’s human-hating regime in its current iteration as it seeks to reincarnate World War II-era Nazi accomplices and erase the memory of those who fought against fascism. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock proudly spoke about her forefathers falling during the siege of Konigsberg. This is the way the German ruling elite understands what it means to be on the right side of history these days.”
“All this leads to the conclusion that in the context of the ongoing proceedings at the International Court of Justice, Berlin decided to single out the Holocaust issue by setting it apart from all other aspects of its guilty historical acts against humanity. Moreover, it refuses to view it in a holistic manner. Instead, Berlin adjusts its perspective as it deems fit to suit its momentary considerations,” claimed Zakharova.
The Foreign Ministry blasted the Russian spokeswoman’s remarks.
“Israel thanks Germany for its unequivocal support and its stand against South Africa's unfounded claim,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat. “The use of Holocaust discourse in contemporary political contexts by the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson constitutes contempt of the Holocaust and causes harm to the victims and survivors.”