YAOUNDE, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon government expressed "regrets" to Israel on Monday after a government minister made anti-semitic comments on state media.
"The Ambassador of the state of Israel was received this Monday, February 4, 2019 by the Minister of External Relations who expressed to him the sincere regrets of the government of Cameroon," Rene Sadi, Cameroonian minister of Communication and government spokesman said in a statement that was released late Monday.
During an interview on state media on Sunday, Cameroon's Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Justice Jean de Dieu Momo compared Cameroon's opposition party, Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) to the Jews "who were crushed by Hitler because of arrogance."
The Israeli embassy in Cameroon expressed "outrage" over the comments and "expect an apology" in a communique made public Monday.
"The government of Cameroon strongly deplores the irrelevant comments of (Jean de Dieu Momo) and completely dissociates itself," said Sadi in the statement, adding that the minister's comments were "strictly personal."
"It (Cameroonian government) wishes to recall that Cameroon and the state of Israel maintain excellent and historic relations," Sadi said.
