There’s not much new to Harry’s Place readers in this clip from German television about the close collaboration between the Mufti of Jerusalem and the Nazis during World War II, and about the continuing legacy of anti-Jewish propaganda in the Arab world. But it’s fascinating and chilling to see a Nazi-produced film of the Mufti– Haj Amin al-Husseini– being greeted by Hitler, reviewing SS troops, etc. It’s also interesting to see the luxurious accomodations the Nazis provided the Mufti and his entourage. Clearly the Germans regarded him as a valuable ally. And al-Husseini– a leader of the Arab nationalist movement in Palestine before the war– clearly expected the Nazis would help him do to the Jews of Palestine what they did to the Jews of Europe.
The German TV report also notes that President Nasser of Egypt– now glorified by the likes of George Galloway as a great pan-Arab leader– provided refuge after the war to al-Husseini and a number of Nazi war criminals. These included the notorious Johann von Leers, who managed anti-Israel propaganda for the Egyptian regime. Al-Husseini befriended von Leers and converted him to Islam. The Egyptians refused a West German request to extradite von Leers for war crimes, and he died in Cairo in 1965.
(Hat tip: Jeff Weintraub.)
