We are Semites too, Syria's Assad says

DAMASCUS, Syria - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, responding to sharp Israeli and U.S. criticism for anti-Jewish comments, said on Tuesday Arabs could not be accused of being anti-Semitic as they were Semites themselves.

"There are many people in this world who are still afraid to even mention the historic facts...and accuse us, the Semites, of being anti-Semitic," Assad said at a farewell ceremony to Pope John Paul who ended a landmark visit to Syria.

The young Syrian leader said those people were "adopting double standards, using the logic of might and arrogance instead of using the logic of right and justice."

In his address welcoming the Pope on Saturday, Assad said the suffering of Arabs under Israeli occupation was similar to that of Jesus Christ at the hands of the Jews.

"There are always those who seek to re-create the journey of suffering and pain among people," he said.

"They try to kill the principle of religions in the same mentality in which they betrayed Jesus Christ."

Assad said Israel was killing Palestinians, violating justice, occupying Arab land and attacking Muslim and Christian religious sites.

Outraged by Assad's fiery comments, Israeli President Moshe Katzav called Assad an "anti-Semite and racist."

He also urged the Vatican to respond to Assad, who had already drawn the wrath of the Jewish state by telling an Arab summit in March that Israeli society was "more racist than the Nazis."

The United States also condemned Assad's remarks.

"Our view is that these comments are as regrettable as they are unacceptable. There's no place from anyone or from any side for statements that inflame religious passions and hatred," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on Monday.

He said he did not know if the United States planned to make a formal protest to the Syrian government.

The Roman Catholic Church officially repudiated in 1965 the notion of collective guilt by Jews.

05:58 05-08-01

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