Israel's UN envoy: Dangerous words, like Ahmadinejad's, sparked the Holocaust 

By Shlomo Shamir 
November 4, 2008
Haaretz
Original Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1034258.html

The gas chambers were not the starting point of the Holocaust, but rather the end. The Holocaust began with dangerous words uttered by people, said Israel's new United Nations Ambassador, Professor Gabriella Shalev, in a speech at the UN assembly on Tuesday. 

The assembly was discussing the UN's 2009 work plan to commemorate the Holocaust, as presented by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. 

The UN program includes a long list of events to commemorate the Holocaust, within the framework of a historic resolution, passed three years ago. This year, the events marking 70 years since the Kristallnacht pogroms in Nazi Germany in 1938 have been the focus of the UN activity. 
	
	The Israeli Ambassador took advantage of the forum to warn and protest against recent inciting remarks that were made by Iranian President Ahmadinejad in his speech to the UN late September. 

Israel and the Jewish people are grateful to the UN for its decision to commemorate the Holocaust, said Shalev. But that's not the end of it. We must learn the lessons of the Nazi genocide and recognize such threats during these times as well. In this very hall we still hear a country leader calling to terminate a country that is a member of the UN as well. 

The Ambassador addressed the delegation representatives saying May I remind you that in this very place all member countries took a 'never again' oath, and it is therefore our duty not only to condemn such remarks, but to take firm and immediate action against a county whose leader says such despicable and dangerous things. 

Representatives of various countries including the United States, Russia, Canada and Australia were present at the assembly