Taiwan apologises over Nazi uniforms gaffe

Taiwan's defence ministry on Thursday apologised to Israel over an incident in which three students were photographed wearing Nazi uniforms at a military-organised summer camp. The Military News Agency this week posted a photograph of the three while at summer camp at an army base. Simona Halperin, who represents the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, said she was shocked by the "ignorant" display. "The defence ministry earnestly apologised to our countrymen and Israel for the careless mistake," defence ministry spokesman David Lo told reporters. The three students said they had dressed up "just for fun", Lo said, adding that they had also apologised. Israel does not maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which Beijing regards as part of China's territory even though the island has governed itself since 1949 at the end of a civil war.