Christiane Amanpour, the CNN chief international correspondent, was criticized for comparing Trump’s administration to the brutal Kristallnacht crackdown by Nazis on Jewish people.
On her segment in CNN last November 14, Amanpour compared the Trump administration to the Kristallnacht, the night of horror where there were violent riots by Nazis in Australia and Germany, a prelude to the Holocaust.
This was aired on her CNN International show Amanpour, which airs in Europe, the US, Asia, and the Middle East.
US: CNN's Christiane Amanpour spoke about Kristallnacht and the Nazis purging of the Jews, she then compared the Nazis to the Trump administration whilst praising projected President Biden. pic.twitter.com/6N5yrHAL8u
— Apex World News (@apexworldnews) November 13, 2020
In the segment, Amanpour stated that Kristallnacht was the “Nazi’s warning shot to the bow of our human civilization that led to the genocide and, in that tower of burning books, it led to an attack on fact, knowledge, history, and proof.”
She then continued by saying, “After four years of a modern-day assault on those same values by Donald Trump, the Biden-Harris team pledges a return to normal.”
The Kristallnacht that Amanpour referred to was a sensitive and tragic story. It was a time were Jewish homes and businesses were vandalized, churches were attacked thousands were sent to concentration camps, marking the start of the Holocaust.
Although made in connection with the 82nd anniversary of the violent event described as a prelude to the Holocaust, these comments made by Amanpour were met with criticism and condemnation from prominent people.
Among these is the Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Omer Yankelevich.
NEW: Israel demands CNN anchor Amanpour apologize for comparing Kristallnacht and Trump (Jerusalem Post).
“Using the memory of the Holocaust for cheap headlines or a political agenda is concerning and distorts the historical and moral truth,” says Diaspora Affairs Minister.
— The Bias News (@thebias_news) November 17, 2020
According to Jerusalem Post, the Israeli Minister demanded an apology from CNN, stating that the news channel should be a partner in the global effort to fight anti-Semitism instead of fueling the fire.
In addition to this, Yankelevich also added, “Using the memory of the Holocaust for cheap headlines of a political agenda is concerning and distorts the historical and moral truth.”
Other than this statement, the Israeli Consul-General in Atlanta, Anat Sultan-Dadon, also wrote a letter to Rick Davis, CNN’s executive vice president, expressing his outrage on how Amanpour compared the Holocaust for political means.
DESPICABLE! @camanpour & @CNN must immediately apologize for trivializing the Holocaust & the tragic genocide of millions of Jews.
They must also apologize for slandering the most pro-Israel President in history as they themselves make an anti-democratic political enemies list. https://t.co/T6sh02kY2E— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) November 14, 2020
Meanwhile, the White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, also slammed the CNN chief international correspondent stating that such an act is “despicable.” McEnany also demanded Amanpour to apologize for “trivializing the Holocaust” and the tragic genocide that claimed the lives of millions of Jews.
In addition to this, McEnany stated that CNN must also apologize for slandering the most pro-Israel President in history.
Social media users expressed their outrage against Amanpour’s comments
Following Amanpour’s comments, Twitter users also expressed their outrage. One Twitter user stated that Amanpour “distorted the Holocaust for political purposes. What an incredibly unprofessional and sick thing to do.”
Former Israeli consul-general in New York, also tweeted, saying, “the foolish comparison Amanpour made between Kristallnacht and Trump must bring about her immediate dismissal from CNN. There is no immunity for Holocaust deniers.”
Amanpour’s issued an apology
The CNN chief international correspondent then issued an apology after the outrage from Israel after comparing the Trump administration to the Nazi’s attack on Jewish people.
In her apology, which was aired last Monday, Amanpour stated that she should not have juxtaposed Trump’s “attacks on history, facts, knowledge, and truth with the Nazi Kristallnacht’s attack.”
She added, “Hitler and his evils stand alone, of course, in history. I regret any pain my statement may have caused. My point was to say how democracy can potentially slip away and how we must always zealously guard our democratic values.”
Meanwhile, CNN, so far, has yet commented on the matter.
