Does history need to be contextualized????

Tariq Ramadan skirts a question about his grandfather...

Ramandan is also controversial because his grandfather, Hassan al-Banna, was the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, a political group outlawed from taking part in Egyptian politics. Al-Banna was known for his relationship with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, a leading collaborator with Nazi Germany during World War II. Ramadan has always tip-toed around his grandfather's anti-Semitism and has never taken a clear stance on the issue.

During the panel, Packer asked Ramadan if he condemns what his grandfather did, and the professor responded that, at the time, all Arabs were against the creation of the state of Israel and said history needs to be contextualized. Packer firmly stated: "I don't like to contextualize a long-term alliance with a leading Nazi propagandist and collaborator." A round of applause from the audience was quickly silenced with Weisberg's index finger.