Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, Iran's president, yesterday said Israelis wanting a Jewish state should establish one in Europe rather than the Middle East.

Speaking on a visit to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, he attacked Europe for prosecuting doubters of the mass killings of Jews by the Nazis during the second world war. Mr Ahmadi-Nejad's comments follow widespread international outcry after he called in October for Israel to be "wiped from the map".