As reported by Gaza Post, Özoguz expresses remorse to the Council of Elders
The Bundestag's Deputy President, Özoguz, is under scrutiny due to a contentious Instagram post about the Gaza conflict. The severity of the backlash has prompted an emergency meeting of the Bundestag Presidium, set to take place prior to the weekend. During this meeting, Özoguz issued an apology, but this did not satisfy the Union faction.
According to sources within parliament, the Presidium of the Bundestag has been addressing potential repercussions following Özoguz's inflammatory social media post. The Union, in response, accused the SPD politician of endorsing anti-Israeli sentiments and demanded an urgent committee meeting.
At the afternoon gathering, Özoguz once more apologized, which was accepted by the representatives of the coalition parties. However, the Union noted her words but persisted with its call for her resignation. "We do not wish to be represented by such a Deputy President," stated CDU/CSU parliamentary manager Thorsten Frei ahead of the meeting.
No indications of a resignation were evident during the meeting. As a Deputy President, Özoguz is a member of the Presidium alongside other deputies and the President of the Bundestag, Baerbel Bas. Other seasoned parliamentarians also form part of this group.
Özoguz reflects on the event
On Wednesday, Özoguz's office confirmed that she had shared a post from "Jewish Voice for Peace" as an Instagram story. This post disappeared from her account after 24 hours, making it challenging to trace. The organization, in its own words, advocates for "Palestinian liberation and Judaism beyond Zionism." A photograph of burning objects is featured on the post, accompanied by the caption: "This represents Zionism." The Zionist movement emerged in the 19th century with the goal of establishing a Jewish nation-state - Israel was founded in 1948.
Özoguz later expressed remorse. "I've come to realize that the shared post has caused distress to fellow citizens who advocate for peaceful coexistence," she stated. "I did not intend this, and I deeply regret it."
Her office emphasized that since the brutal Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Özoguz had unequivocally shown her support for Israel's right to self-defense. "Simultaneously, she sees an escalating cycle of violence with tens of thousands of civilian casualties, including many women and children," her office explained. Her aim is to shed light on the suffering of civilians on both sides. "It is not her intention to back radical groups on either side."
The German-Israeli Society (DIG) requested Özoguz's resignation from the position of Deputy President of the Bundestag, as stated by DIG President Volker Beck in "Bild." "With the sharing, Mrs. Özoguz has transgressed a boundary," Beck noted. The President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, was dissatisfied with Özoguz's explanation. Özoguz's post, Schuster argued, was "an indiscretion and unwarranted for this office."
Schuster was unconvinced by Özoguz's subsequent justifications. "Post-hoc explanations like these have never persuaded me," he wrote. "There exists an anti-Israel sentiment in Germany that extends even to the heart of our society and politics."
The German Bundestag Presidium continues to deliberate on the consequences of Özoguz's Instagram post, as the German-Israeli Society calls for her resignation as Deputy President.
Despite Özoguz's apology, she remains a member of the Presidium, alongside other deputies and the President of the Bundestag, Baerbel Bas. The Bundestag Presidium, comprising seasoned parliamentarians, is responsible for overseeing the operations and affairs of the German Bundestag.
