The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called “deeply insulting” remarks by a Libyan representative to the U.N. Security Council, in which he compared Israel’s recent military actions in Gaza to the systematic killing of six million Jews in the Holocaust.

The remarks by Ibrahim Dabbashi, Libya’s Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, came during an April 23 discussion in the Security Council of the situation for Palestinians living in Gaza and prompted five Western envoys to walk out of the session in protest.

“There can be no comparison between Israel’s effort to defend its citizens against terrorism and the Nazis’ systematic killing of six million Jews in the Holocaust,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director.  “Any attempt to equate the two is odious, patently false and deeply insulting to the memory of the millions of Jews who perished in the Holocaust, to the survivors and their families and to the entire Jewish community.”

In a letter to U.N. Security Council President Dumisani S. Kumalo, the League called for an official statement condemning the Libyan representative for using the forum of the Security Council “as a platform for anti-Semitism.”

“The statement by the Libyan representative brings shame to the Security Council,” said the letter to Mr. Kumalo.  “The apparent silence of the Presidency and other members of the Council create a perception of agreement with the views expressed by the Libyan representative.”

ADL commended the representatives from Belgium, Britain, Costa Rica, France, and the United States who reportedly walked out of the session in protest of the deputy ambassador’s remarks.