An excommunicated British bishop stated that the historical proof shows great evidence against 6 million Jews, who had been purposeful gassed during World War II. The British bishop, who is now in line for rehabilitation, risked a new crisis between the Vatican and the Jews on Friday.

On Thursday, according to two Italian newspapers, Pope Benedict XVI proposed for the boost of Richard Williamson’s excommunication and also the one of three other bishops who had been previously penalized due to their consecration without any papal consent 20 years ago by the French conservative Archbishop Marcel Lefevbre.

Rabbi Ricardo Di Segni, chief rabbi of Rome, requested the Vatican to lift the rehabilitation of Williamson and said it had been unimaginable that the pope didn’t know the British bishop’s views and opinions. Yet, the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consulation asked for the four’s excommunication not to be lifted adding that they were all divergent to pursuing relation with Jews, Protestants and Muslims.

The relations between the Vatican and the Jews have been damaged already due to the criticism brought by the Jews on Pope Pius XII, who led during World War II and who had been accused of not telling to divert the Holocaust. One other recent offense to the Israeli officials was the one connected to a senior cardinal, who stated that Gaza seemed like a "big concentration camp" under the Israeli assault.

Williamson’s comments were aired on Wednesday. He had spoken to a Swedish state TV while he was in Germany in November last year and said that the Nazis had never used gas chambers. He added that the historical evidence of the 6 million Jews being gassed was just one of Adolf Hitler’s deliberate policies.

The Vatican didn’t want to comment upon Williamson’s remarks, which could bring him real legal problems in Germany. The state prosecutors are already checking whether he had broken the German laws against Holocaust denial.