MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Says ‘Hard For Israel’ to Remain Neutral After Russia Claimed Hitler Had Jewish Heritage

NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell weighed in on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s outlandish claims that Adolf Hitler had Jewish ancestry and how it may impact Israeli foreign policy during a segment on MSNBC Monday.

“I could be wrong, but Hitler also had Jewish blood. [That Zelensky is Jewish] means absolutely nothing. Wise Jewish people say that the most ardent anti-Semites are usually Jews,” said Lavrov on Sunday, sparking international outrage and a fiery condemnation from the Israeli prime minister.

“It’s so complicated because Israel was trying, trying so hard to be neutral, even at the point of upsetting the White House and their closest ally, the U.S., by not condemning Russia being by keeping Russia close, not joining the human rights vote against Russia at the United Nations because they need Russian militarily,” noted Mitchell of Israel’s reasoning for maintaining its close ties to Russia despite Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

“In Syria, they coordinate with all the Iran threats, mutual threats that both have to deal with. So that’s part of what they were trying to do so carefully,” Mitchell continued. “But then Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister comes out with this statement, just absolutely crazy and untrue and offensive on so many levels.”

Mitchell went on to explain Lavrov’s warped reasoning in making the statement, noting he cited “the Nazification of Ukraine, which is their big defense [of why] they were going into Ukraine.”

“They say there can’t be a denazification because we are Jews. Well, I believe Hitler had Jewish heritage,” Mitchell continued, repeating and explaining Lavrov’s statement aimed at discrediting Ukraine’s Jewish President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“We all know what Hitler did was to kill 6 million Jews because they had 1/16th of Jewish blood or whatever it was in their crazy way of determining who was Aryan. That was so deeply offensive,” she added.

“They say the worst anti-semites are Jews,” she continued, noting Lavrov’s conclusion and his barb at Zelensky.

Mitchell went on to read Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s “very strong condemnation” and argued, “It will be hard for Israel to continue with its claim of neutrality and its attempts to broker a cease-fire.”

Host Katy Tur then asked Mitchell what this statement may mean for Jews inside Russia. Mitchell responded by explaining how the large Russian population in Israel has pushed Bennett to remain a close ally with Putin, but that Lavrov’s statement was clearly a bridge too far.

“This is a fragile government,” Mitchell noted of Bennett’s ruling coalition, but argued, “they could not countenance this incredible lie of the Russians saying that Adolf Hitler had Jewish heritage.”

“And so they now are no longer neutral. They can’t be neutral after this. But I’m told by military experts they’re not going to be contributing militarily to Ukraine, but they might help with some sanctions,” Mitchell concluded.

Watch the full clip above via MSNBC