Egypt wonders what the big deal is about Haider?

CAIRO [MENL] -- The state media of Egypt and Syria agree that Israel is worse than Nazi Germany.

Over the last week, both Egyptian and Syrian government dailies responded to the international censure of Austria in the wake of its new government that contains the far-right Freedom Party of Joerg Haider. Haider has been quoted as praising the Nazis.

Last week, the Syrian government daily Tishrin launched a tirade against Israel, saying it committed greater crimes than the Nazis in World War II. The newspaper also denied the Holocaust of six million Jews.

This week, it's Egypt's turn. The state Al Akhbar daily, meant as the government's mass circulation newspaper, echoed the comparision between Israel and Nazi Germany.

"Is it not strange that Europe's position against Austria is based on illusions and half-truths, all while Israel stands the embodiment, personified, of all actions and attitudes feared?" Galal Dowidar wrote in Al Akhbar on Monday. "Is this not an obvious case of self-contradiction where Israel's criminal aggression, viewed as similar -- if not exceeding -- that of the Nazis, is condoned?"

The government Al Ahram daily, regarded as the most prestigious in Egypt, agreed. "We have only to compare Austria's regional weight to that of Israel to immediately see how nearer to being realized Arab fears of Israel's right are than European or Jewish apprehensions of Austria's or of even Germany's extreme right," Abdel Azim Hammad wrote in Al Ahram.