Russian 'neo-Nazi', Israeli 'anti-Semitic' charges exchange continues

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Israeli President Isaac Herzog was taken aback by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks this week, which included the claim that "even Hitler had Jewish blood."

In his initial reaction, Herzog stated unequivocally that he expected Lavrov to retract and apologize for his statements.

“The truth is I read them several times,” he recounted on Tuesday. “At first, I couldn’t believe that they had been uttered by a Russian foreign minister. They made me angry and disgusted."

Herzog claimed that the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov chose to "spread lies, terrible lies," accusing him of anti-Semitism.

Herzog does not believe that Lavrov's words would hurt bilateral relations, but they do threaten to muddy them, the Israeli President claimed. "It's vital and proper that he correct those words," Herzog said, citing the Red Army's role in defeating the Nazis.

Yesterday, Moscow accused the Israeli occupation of supporting "the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev."

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Monday criticized Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, claiming that the latter made an "unforgivable and outrageous statement as well as a terrible historical error," and summoned Moscow's Ambassador for a "tough talk".

"Jews did not murder themselves in the Holocaust," Lapid said. "The lowest level of racism against Jews is to accuse Jews themselves of antisemitism," he added.

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid denounced the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, for suggesting that Adolf Hitler had Jewish roots.

Lapid said the Russian Ambassador to "Israel" should be summoned for a "tough talk" due to Lavrov's words, which he said on Sunday on an Italian TV.

"It is an unforgivable, scandalous statement, a terrible historical mistake, and we expect an apology," Lapid told Ynet.

The Russian Embassy did not comment.