International Conference To Review The Global Vision of The Holocaust - Counter Conferences

Counter Conferences

• In reaction to this conference, a counter conference on anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial was organised in Berlin entitled "The Holocaust in Transnational Memory." The keynote speaker was American Holocaust historian Raul Hilberg, author of "The Destruction of the European Jews." Topics discussed included the mechanisms and intentions at the root of the various forms of Holocaust denial and the polarization of the Muslim and Western worlds. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, "speakers emphasized that Holocaust denial is a form of anti-Semitism and that Ahmadinejad is using the theme, together with his threats against Israel, to gain international standing among Arabs." Israeli scholar David Menashri stated that a "silent majority" of Iranians would reject Ahmadinejad's Holocaust denial. Holocaust historians attending this conference in Berlin called the Iranian conference "an attempt to cloak antisemitism in scholarly language."

• A symposium was also held in Jerusalem, entitled, "Holocaust Denial: Paving the Way to Genocide," for members of the diplomatic corps. Its scientific adviser, Yehuda Bauer, said Iran's Holocaust denial was raising objections among Arab intellectuals. Speakers included American Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton; former Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Dore Gold; Israel's Ambassador to the United States Meir Roseanne; Canadian Parliament member Irwin Cotler; and Harvard University professor Alan Dershowitz. One proposal was entitled, "Bring Ahmadinejad to Justice For Incitement to Genocide." Speaking at the symposium, Yigal Carmon of the Middle East Media Research Institute said "the Iranian regime's Holocaust denial is not a manifestation of irrational hatred, but a premeditated and cold-blooded instrument to achieve its goals denial of Israel's legitimacy elimination of the Zionist Entity, i.e. Israel."

• The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles planned to hold a teleconference during the same period as the Iranian conference which would focus on individual stories from Holocaust survivors.

• The Bali Holocaust Conference was held in June 2007 in Bali, Indonesia. The conference aimed to promote religious tolerance and affirm the reality of the Holocaust and was attended by rabbis, Holocaust witnesses, and Muslim leaders, teachers and students. This event was convened by former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid, and was sponsored by the Wahid Institute, the Simon Wisenthal Center in Los Angeles, and the Libforall Foundation. Wahid stated that although he is a good friend of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Ahmadinejad's views about the Holocaust are wrong and constitute "falsified history", and that the Holocaust really happened.