Iran Makes Overture to Germany

In a strange twist to Iran's anti-Semitic rhetoric President Ahmadinejad has sent a letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggeting Germany's help with the Palestinian issues and Zionism. A German official characterized the letter as "weird".

The letter puts the German government in a strange position. Iran's president has denied the Holocaust. Holocaust denial in Germany is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.

"It's extremely touchy (for the German government)," said the official, adding that the government did not yet know if or how it would respond. "There are a lot of propaganda phrases about Israel and the Jews inside."

The Rueter's article points out that..."In February, Merkel compared Ahmadinejad's statements and stance to Adolf Hitler's rise to power when he and his Nazi party began threatening to exterminate European Jewry.

"Remember that in 1933 many people said it was just rhetoric," Merkel said."

Here is another article on the letter. It will be interestting to follow the German response to this letter. One could see public opinion in Germany moving toward Israel over this letter.