Los Angeles real estate mogul Mohamed Hadid shared a disputed Albert Einstein quote on Instagram that compares Zionists to Nazi Germany.
The Algemeiner reported that Hadid’s June 23 Instagram post attributed the following quote to Einstein: “It would be my greatest sadness to see Zionists (Jews) do to Palestinian Arabs much of what Nazis did to Jews.”
Hadid wrote in the caption, “I hope few would listen and few can open there [sic] eyes. And few that can soften their Hearts and few can look into their own soul and few that can save lives and like my father and family opened there [sic] homes to the fleeing Jewish families from Hitler the Butcher.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBzyhmJnC9K/?utm_source=ig_embed
However, the Algemeiner noted that there is no evidence that Einstein ever said such a quote. Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda Rabbi Abraham Cooper said in a statement, “[Winston] Churchill said it best: A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth puts its pants on. [An] anti-Semite desecrated Einstein’s good name and demonized an entire people. Never mind it’s a made up quote. Hate is ugly and corrosive, however it is wrapped up.”
The Israellycool blog suggested in a 2014 post that the disputed Einstein quote may have come from a 1948 letter that Einstein signed warning against the Herut (Freedom) Party forming in Israel at the time. The letter argued that the party was akin to Nazism and fascism.
“Before irreparable damage is done by way of financial contributions, public manifestations in [Menachem] Begin’s behalf, and the creation of Palestine of the impression that a large segment of America supports fascist elements in Israel, the public must be informed as to the record and objectives of Mr. Begin and his movement,” the letter stated.
Einstein was Jewish and a supporter of Zionism; he once said, “[The] Zionist cause is very close to my heart … I am very confident of the happy development of the Jewish colony and am glad that there should be a tiny speck on this earth in which the members of our tribe should not be aliens.”
In 1952, the Israeli Foreign Ministry offered the role of presidency to Einstein; Einstein declined.
“All my life I have dealt with objective matters, hence I lack both the natural aptitude and the experience to deal properly with people and to exercise official functions,” Einstein responded. “For these reasons alone I should be unsuited to fulfill the duties of that high office, even if advancing age was not making increasing inroads on my strength.”
He added: “I am the more distressed over these circumstances because my relationship to the Jewish people has become my strongest human bond, ever since I became fully aware of our precarious situation among the nations of the world.”
Hadid has previously been under fire for sharing a cartoon in a May 31 Instagram post accusing Israeli soldiers of engaging in the knee-to-neck technique used on African American man George Floyd while in police custody, resulting in his death. Hadid issued an apology over the post, which later was deleted.
