Rabbi reacts to revolting reference from political powerbroker about former PM

One of Australia’s most prominent Jewish leaders says he was ‘very disturbed’ to hear John Howard referred to as the Liberal Party’s “angel of death” by teal political powerbroker Simon Holmes à Court.

A furious Neil Mitchell went a step further, calling the comment about the former prime minister “obscene, revolting and extremely stupid”.

Simon Holmes à Court made the reference in a tweet about Mr Howard campaigning with Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong this week.

Holmes à Court – the son of Australia’s first billionaire – is financially backing Dr Monique Ryan’s campaign to try and unseat Mr Frydenberg, who is Jewish.

Josef Mengele, a Nazi doctor who performed some of the most gruesome and brutal medical “experiments” in history during the Holocaust, became infamously known as the angel of death.

“Does he not understand the history of this? Does he not care?” Neil Mitchell said of the comment from Holmes à Court.

“It is revolting.”

Press PLAY below to hear Neil Mitchell’s passionate editorial

Rabbi Shmueli Feldman told Neil Mitchell he found the reference very troubling.

“The rhetoric has gone from bad to worse,” he said.

“I urge everyone to stop using that sort of language.

“Let’s all settle down.”

Press PLAY below to hear the Rabbi’s reaction on 3AW

(Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)