Israeli leaders praise Fidel Castro

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Israeli leaders praise Fidel Castro
The Associated Press
Saturday, September 25, 2010; 3:51 PM

JERUSALEM -- Israeli leaders are praising former Cuban President Fidel Castro for supporting Israel in a series of interviews

Israeli President Shimon Peres' office says Peres sent Castro a personal letter Saturday thanking him for his remarks. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent reporters text messages drawing attention to a series of interviews published in the Atlantic magazine early this month.

The Israeli praise is highly unusual, as Castro has traditionally supported the Palestinians and has been highly critical of the Jewish state in the past.

In the interview, Castro chided Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for denying the Holocaust, in which some six million Jews were killed by the Nazi's during World War II.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/25/AR2010092502545.html

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. We really need to lift the moronic travel ban on Cuba

I would love to visit there.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Netanyahu: Fidel Castro has a deep understanding of Jewish history

Published 17:03 25.09.10
Latest update 17:03 25.09.10
Netanyahu: Fidel Castro has a deep understanding of Jewish history
PM, President Peres voice appreciation for remarks by former Cuban president, who said that Israel 'undoubtedly' has a right to exist.
By Barak Ravid and Haaretz Service

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his appreciation on Saturday over remarks by Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who said that Israel has a right to exist in an interview earlier this month.

In an interview published on Wednesday, the former Cuban president told The Atlantic reporter Jeffery Goldberg, when asked whether Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state, "Yes, without a doubt."

Subsequently, Goldberg asked Castro whether Raul Castro, the current president of Cuba and Fidel's brother, would reestablish relations with Israel, the 84-year-old leader replied that "these things take time."

Castro referenced the Holocaust in the interview, saying "Now, let's imagine that I were Netanyahu," Castro said, "that I were there and I sat down to reason through (the issues facing Israel), I would remember that six million Jewish men and women, of all ages were exterminated in the concentration camps."

President Shimon Peres also addressed Castro's remarks, saying that the Cuban leader's support of Israel had "moved me very much."

More:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-fidel-castro-has-a-deep-understanding-of-jewish-history-1.315630