Holocaust denial is alive and well in Israel's peaceful partner to the east - Jordan. Ha'aretz newspaper reports that the Union of Jordanian Writers has slated a conference in Amman on April 22nd - the purpose of which will be the denial of the Holocaust. A Lebanese author residing in Jordan, Hiyat Atiya, is quoted in the paper as saying: "The Jews lied to us about the Holocaust and we want to expose this lie to the public." The gathering was apparently rescheduled from April 8th, after being cancelled by order of the Jordanian government. This time around, says journalist Daniel Sobelman, Jordanian Culture Minister Mahmud Kayid, did not say for sure whether the conference would be cancelled.



The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reports on a similar spirit in Egypt. In his short daily column in the Egyptian government-sponsored newspaper Al-Akhbar on April 18th, columnist Ahmad Ragab wrote: "Thanks to Hitler,[of] blessed memory, who on behalf of the Palestinians, revenged in advance against the most vile criminals on the face of the earth. Although we do have a complaint against him for his revenge on them was not enough."