Israel: “Wiped off The Map”. The Rumor of the Century, Fabricated by the US Media to Justify An All out War on Iran

• Israel: “Wiped off The Map”. The Rumor of the Century, Fabricated by the US Media to Justify An All out War on Iran
  by Arash Norouzi, Global Research, May 24, 2019, 26 September 2010, https://www.globalresearch.ca/
  Global Research Editor’s Note
  The following text by Arash Norouzi first published by the Mossadegh Project and Global Research in January 2007 confirms that the alleged “Wiped Off the Map” statement  by Iran’s (former) president was never made. In the light of recent US threats directed Iran, we are reposting this important article. Iran does not constitute a threat to Israel.
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  The rumor was fabricated by the American media with a view to discrediting Iran’s head of state and providing a justification for waging an all out war on Iran. Iran is blamed for refusing to abide by the “reasonable demands” of “the international community”.
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  In recent developments, Iran is persistently described as threatening the security of Israel. And Israel is described as instrumental in determining US foreign policy. Realities are twisted and turned upside down. Iran is being accused of wanting to start a war.
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  The threat to global security comes from the US-NATO-Israel military alliance, which is now threatening Iran. The use of  tactical nuclear weapons against Iran on a preemptive basis is contemplated. If Iran is attacked, we are potentially in a World War III scenario.
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  It is essential to dispel the fabrications of the Western media. Iran does not constitute a threat to Global Security. Iran does not possess a nuclear weapons program. Iran does not constitute a threat to Israel.
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  Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, 25 September 2010,  24 May 2019
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  Wiped off  The Map: The Rumor of the Century
  by Arash Norouzi, Global Research, January 20, 2007
  The Mossadegh Project
  Across the world, a dangerous rumor has spread that could have catastrophic implications. According to legend, Iran’s President has threatened to destroy Israel, or, to quote the misquote, “Israel must be wiped off the map”. Contrary to popular belief, this statement was never made, as the following article will prove.
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  BACKGROUND:
  On Tuesday, October 25th, 2005 at the Ministry of Interior conference hall in Tehran, newly elected Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech at a program, reportedly attended by thousands, titled “The World Without Zionism”. Large posters surrounding him displayed this title prominently in English, obviously for the benefit of the international press. Below the poster’s title was a slick graphic depicting an hour glass containing planet Earth at its top. Two small round orbs representing the United States and Israel are shown falling through the hour glass’ narrow neck and crashing to the bottom.
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  Before we get to the infamous remark, it’s important to note that the “quote” in question was itself a quote— they are the words of the late Ayatollah Khomeini, the father of the Islamic Revolution. Although he quoted Khomeini to affirm his own position on Zionism, the actual words belong to Khomeini and not Ahmadinejad. Thus, Ahmadinejad has essentially been credited (or blamed) for a quote that is not only unoriginal, but represents a viewpoint already in place well before he ever took office.
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  THE ACTUAL QUOTE:
  So what did Ahmadinejad actually say? To quote his exact words in farsi:
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  “Imam ghoft een rezhim-e ishghalgar-e qods bayad az safheh-ye ruzgar mahv shavad.”
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  That passage will mean nothing to most people, but one word might ring a bell: rezhim-e. It is the word “Regime“, pronounced just like the English word with an extra “eh” sound at the end. Ahmadinejad did not refer to Israel the country or Israel the land mass, but the Israeli regime. This is a vastly significant distinction, as one cannot wipe a regime off the map. Ahmadinejad does not even refer to Israel by name, he instead uses the specific phrase “rezhim-e ishghalgar-e qods” (regime occupying Jerusalem).
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  So this raises the question.. what exactly did he want “wiped from the map”? The answer is: nothing. That’s because the word “map” was never used. The Persian word for map, “nagsheh“, is not contained anywhere in his original farsi quote, or, for that matter, anywhere in his entire speech. Nor was the western phrase “wipe out” ever said. Yet we are led to believe that Iran’s President threatened to “wipe Israel off the map”, despite never having uttered the words “map”, “wipe out” or even “Israel”.
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  THE PROOF:
  The full quote translated directly to English:
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  “The Imam said this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time”.
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  Word by word translation:
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  Imam (Khomeini) ghoft (said) een (this) rezhim-e (regime) ishghalgar-e (occupying) qods (Jerusalem) bayad (must) az safheh-ye ruzgar (from page of time) mahv shavad (vanish from).
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  Here is the full transcript of the speech in farsi, archived on Ahmadinejad’s web site:
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  www.president.ir/farsi/ahmadinejad/speeches/1384/aban-84/840804sahyonizm.htm
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  THE SPEECH AND CONTEXT:
  While the false “wiped off the map” extract has been repeated infinitely without verification, Ahmadinejad’s actual speech itself has been almost entirely ignored. Given the importance placed on the “map” comment, it would be sensible to present his words in their full context to get a fuller understanding of his position. In fact, by looking at the entire speech, there is a clear, logical trajectory leading up to his call for a “world without Zionism”. One may disagree with his reasoning, but critical appraisals are infeasible without first knowing what that reasoning is.
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  In his speech, Ahmadinejad declares that Zionism is the West’s apparatus of political oppression against Muslims. He says the “Zionist regime” was imposed on the Islamic world as a strategic bridgehead to ensure domination of the region and its assets. Palestine, he insists, is the frontline of the Islamic world’s struggle with American hegemony, and its fate will have repercussions for the entire Middle East.
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  read more.

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