Former First Nations leader David Ahenakew told a Saskatoon court Thursday he doesn't hate Jews, only "what they do to people."

David Ahenakew, shown here in 2007, is undergoing a second trial after an earlier conviction in 2005 was overturned on appeal. (CBC)

Ahenakew, 75, is on trial for a second time for wilfully promoting hatred after making controversial remarks about Jewish people at a 2002 First Nations health conference, and then again to reporters afterwards.

Taking the stand in his own defence Thursday, Ahenakew said his feelings about Jewish people, whom he maintains caused the Second World War, took shape during a tour of duty with the Canadian military in the Middle East.

"Everybody says 'I'm a Jew-hater,"' he said. "I don't hate the Jews, but I hate what they do to people."

Ahenakew told the court about seeing how the Palestinians were living while serving as a peacekeeper in the Gaza Strip in 1964, relating that to his own experience living on a First Nations reserve in Canada.

He described his job keeping anti-personnel landmines fenced and how those fences were torn down and children killed. Ahenakew accused the Israelis of taking down the fences.

"I thought it was unjust. I thought it was cruel," he said.

At the health conference in 2002, Ahenakew claimed Jewish people started the Second World War. During the interview with a Saskatoon StarPhoenix reporter that followed, Ahenakew referred to Jewish people as a disease.

"The Jews damn near owned all of Germany prior to the war. That's how Hitler came in. He was going to make damn sure that the Jews didn't take over Germany or Europe ... That's why he fried six million of those guys, you know. Jews would have owned the God damned world," he told the reporter.

When asked Thursday if he still believes what he said, Ahenakew answered "yes."

His lawyer has claimed Ahenakew thought the exchange with the reporter was a private conversation, although the reporter has said a tape recorder was in clear view.

Ahenakew told the court that he never should have made those comments, and that he was struggling to find the appropriate language to explain himself to the reporter.

"Disease wasn't the word I wanted to use," said Ahenakew. "I'm not making any excuses, but Cree is my first language."

He also testified about the state of his health on the day of the conference. He is diabetic and he said at that time his blood sugar levels were going up and down like a yo-yo. When his sugar was up he would get excited and jittery, when it went down he would get dizzy, he said.

Ahenakew, a former head of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and the Assembly of First Nations, also described his achievements in building First Nations institutions, which earned him an Order of Canada that was later stripped.

Ahenakew testified he still has the medal at home, but said if someone wants it they can come and get it.

This is the aboriginal leader's second trial, after an earlier conviction in 2005 was overturned on appeal. He will continue his testimony Friday.

(with files from Canadian Press)