Adhering to the Historical Truth about the Mufti during the Holocaust

Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, was a despicable antisemite and ardent Nazi supporter. Nevertheless, the role he played in the Holocaust was marginal. 

Inaugurated in 2005, Yad Vashem's Holocaust History Museum contains hundreds of Holocaust-era artifacts, photographs and artworks, all carefully curated to reflect the accurate historical truth of the Holocaust. On display in the Museum are two photographs of the Mufti – one with Heinrich Himmler, and one with Bosnian Muslim units who fought in the ranks of the SS – which present his efforts to promote Nazi ideology during the Shoah. These two photographs also appeared in Yad Vashem's previous historical museum. To anyone who mistakenly believes differently, the facts are that the picture of the meeting between Adolf Hitler and the Mufti was never displayed in the old historical museum at Yad Vashem (it does, however, appear on the Yad Vashem website). 

To be clear: The Mufti's part in the history of the Holocaust is presented at Yad Vashem in the correct proportion and context, especially in comparison to other figures. Research shows that the meeting between the Mufti and Adolf Hitler had a negligible practical effect on Nazi policy. 

Attempting to pressure Yad Vashem to expand the exhibit on the Mufti in the Holocaust History Museum is tantamount to forcing Yad Vashem to partake in a debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is alien to its mission. For Yad Vashem to expand an exhibit for reasons not related to the Holocaust might even legitimize Holocaust distortion by others with nefarious intentions. Yad Vashem will continue to defend the historical truth of this dark chapter of our not-too-distant past, without falling prey to any political agenda.