Whoopi Goldberg: "I believe that the Holocaust was about race"
Whoopi Goldberg has explained her recent Holocaust comments which left many people upset.
Whoopi Goldberg is dealing with more backlash after she made "hurtful" comments about the Holocaust.
In a recent interview in The Sunday Times, the actress repeated her statement that the Holocaust, the term used for the murder of around six million Jews by the Nazi regime and their collaborators during the Second World War, wasn't originally about race.
“Remember who they were killing first. They were not killing racial; they were killing physical. They were killing people they considered to be mentally defective. And then they made this decision,” she said during the recent interview which was published over the weekend.
Following the interview with The Sunday Times, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) chief Jonathan Greenblatt on Tuesday slammed Whoopi's remarks.
“Whoopi Goldberg’s comments about the Holocaust and race are deeply offensive and incredibly disappointing, especially given that this is not the first time she had made remarks like this,” Greenblatt said in a statement.
“In a moment when antisemitic incidents have surged across the US, she should realize that making such ignorant statements can have real consequences.”
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However, Whoopi explained to E! News that she was not repeating the same comment she made in January, but was merely clarifying them.
"Recently while doing press in London, I was asked about my comments from earlier this year. I tried to convey to the reporter what I had said and why, and attempted to recount that time," she told E! News.
The television personality says she has realised how painful her comments were.
"It was never my intention to appear as if I was doubling down on hurtful comments, especially after talking with and hearing people like rabbis and old and new friends weighing in. I'm still learning a lot and believe me, I heard everything everyone said to me."
She said she now believes that the "Holocaust was about race".
She added that she supports the Jewish community and her support "has not wavered and never will."
Whoopi was previously suspended by 'The View' earlier this year after her comments and she issued an apology.
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