Police in London, Ontario are investigating a local Arabic language newspaper for possible hate crimes.
In its June/July issue, the monthly paper, Al Saraha, published an article on page 4 under the headline “The Question Everyone Ignores: Why Did Hitler Kill the Jews?.
B’nai Brith Canada says the article indicates that the figure of six million Jews killed in the Holocaust was Jewish propaganda and was inflated from the real figure of 100-thousand to 600-thousand and that the article states, ”This Jewish propaganda succeeded until it became prevalent throughout the media”. The organization says its translation of the article goes on to say Hitler created 6-million new jobs after taking power and this is where the Jews took their figure of 6-million.
According to their translation the article also blames Jews for Germany’s economic collapse, and insinuates that Jews brought homosexuality and promiscuity to Germany.
Micheal Mostyn, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada quoted by Post Media says, “To say that is offensive is to minimize the article. It is absolutely hateful rhetoric, and it is unacceptable that this is being published in a newspaper in Canada.”
The paper is distributed in ethnic middle-eastern grocery stores and restaurants around London and Southwestern Ontario..
A London police spokesman said the paper is being investigated to see whether the article constitutes a Criminal Code offence for inciting or promoting hatred, or whether it falls under a category of free speech. The spokesperson says the police are awaiting an independent translation of the article.
The paper is published by London resident, Abdul Haidi Shala, a former Gaza Palestinian who reprinted the original story published in one of Egypt’s most widely distributed papers, al-Masry al-Youm.
The paper had been recommended by a local official immigration agency funded by the Ontario government, as a source of information for Arabic-speaking newcomers and had a link to it on their website The co-chair of the London and Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership (LMLIP) says the recommendation and link have been withdrawn saying the organization and City of London do not condone racist and homophobic views. However, the paper and contact information are still listed by LMLIP as a media outlet in their “media literacy training workbook” on page
11.
Speaking in Arabic and translated for a reporter of the London Free Press, the publisher, Abdul Haidi Shala said, he was unaware of the facts and apologizes to Jewish people.
“I didn’t mean to reject something that happened historically. I was curious to know why Hitler killed Jews during the Holocaust, so I read through his article and I found information.”
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