Controversial pastor John Hagee expressed regret for suggesting the Holocaust was God’s way of moving Jews to Israel.
In a letter to the head of the Anti-Defamation League, Hagree promised to be sensitive and respectul in how he expresses his faith, and in particular to acknowledge human limitations in understanding God’s motives.
“I know how sensitive the issue of the Holocaust is and should be to the Jewish community, and I regret if my Jewish friends felt any pain as a result,” Hagee wrote. “I have always believed that the Holocaust was a tragedy unique in its evil and horror.”
Hagee, one of the leading pro-Israel evangelical leaders in the United States, has come under fire repeatedly for comments percieved as offensive to various groups. Last month, John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, repudiated Hagee after his Holocaust comments emerged.
Foxman issued a statement Friday welcoming Hagee’s letter and expressing gratitude for his support of Israel.
Reporting the stories that define our era. When history unfolds in real-time, the Jewish world turns to JTA. Your support ensures we can document the complexities of war and the resilience of Jewish communities with integrity.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
