Newsweek: Palestinian Leader Mahmoud Abbas says Holocaust was caused by Jews’ “social behavior” and money lending

The leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, delivered a conspiracy theory-laden speech on Monday, claiming that the Holocaust was a result of the “social behavior” of Jews.

Speaking at the first session of the Palestinian National Council since 1998 in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Abbas delivered what he called a “history lesson,” claiming Israel was established as a European “colonial project” and has “nothing to do with Judaism,” the Times of Israel reported.

Abbas also alleged that the Holocaust—in which more than 6 million Jews were murdered by Nazi Germany and its allies—was caused by Jewish “social behavior, [charging interest] and financial matters.”