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Putin apologises to Israeli PM Bennett for Sergey Lavrov's 'Hitler may have had Jewish blood' remarks

In an interview on Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that 'Adolf Hitler may have had Jewish blood'. The remarks triggered outrage in Iarael and Bennett summoned the Russian Ambassador asking him to 'clarify' Lavrov's comment.

TN World Desk

Updated May 5, 2022, 23:48 IST

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to attend the Victory Day military parade to celebrate 74 years since the victory in WWII in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2019. Some in the West think Russian President Vladimir Putin may use the Victory Day on May 9 when Russia celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II to officially declare that war is underway in Ukraine and announce a mobilization _ the claim rejected by the Kremlin. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Photo : AP

Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, on Thursday, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to him for the remarks made by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in which he claimed that 'Adolf Hitler may have had Jewish blood'. The comments triggered massive outrage in Israel and political leaders in that country condemned the reference by saying that they were 'lies' that 'accused the Jews of the most awful crimes in history', against themselves.

"The Prime Minister accepted President Putin's apology for Lavrov's remarks and thanked him for clarifying his attitude towards the Jewish people and the memory of the Holocaust," Bennett's office said in a statement.

Terrible historical error: Israeli Foreign Minister

In an interview with an Italian media outlet on Sunday, Lavrov reportedly said - "I could be wrong, but Hitler also had Jewish blood". The remarks immediately backfired as Benett summoned the Russian Ambassador and asked him to 'clarify' the remarks made by the Russian Foreign Minister.

"An unforgivable and outrageous statement, as well as a terrible historical error," Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, said while condemning Lavrov's remarks.

Israel has been walking a tightrope walk over the Russia-Ukraine crisis and Benette has himself clarified that Moscow, as well as Kyiv, have close ties with his country. Israel has also not responded to Ukraine's requests for military support, but has, instead, supplied helmets and bulletproof jackets to medical workers. Bennett is among the few world leaders who have met Putin since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He had traveled to Moscow in March to mediate in the conflict.

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