Chancellor Scholz: "Anyone who attacks Jews is attacking us all"
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has called on people in Germany to "protect Jews" in the face of anti-Semitic incidents. "Anyone who attacks Jews in Germany is attacking us all. That's why we should all stand up for the protection of Jews in Germany, it's about civil courage," Scholz told the "Mannheimer Morgen" newspaper.
The state protects Jewish institutions. "We will not accept anti-Semitism. We have crystal-clear laws: it is a criminal offense to burn Israeli flags. It is a criminal offense to cheer the death of innocent people. It is a criminal offense to shout anti-Semitic slogans," Scholz continued. The law enforcement authorities have a duty to punish such offenses. They have the necessary tools and must use them consistently. "My impression is that the police authorities and courts know what to do."
Incidents at pro-Palestinian demonstrations
Recently, there has been an increase in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Germany due to the Gaza war following the devastating terrorist attack by Islamist Hamas in the Israeli border region. Following the demonstrations at the weekend alone, the police are investigating various cases of suspected incitement to hatred. At a rally in Essen on Friday evening, banners were displayed calling for the establishment of an Islamist caliphate, among other things. In Berlin, the police counted 9,000 participants at a rally. Officers there made dozens of reports, but spoke of a "mostly peaceful" demonstration.
Demand to stop the naturalization reform
CDU leader Friedrich Merz called on the "traffic light" government to stop its planned reform of citizenship law. He said on the ARD programme "Bericht aus Berlin" on Sunday that the possibility of naturalization after just three years instead of the current minimum of five years was absurd in view of the current situation. We need to take a close look at who should be naturalized. "The federal government must stop what it is now planning in the first reading in the German Bundestag," said Merz. And with regard to the demonstrations at the weekend, he added: "If we take this approach to citizenship law, then we shouldn't be surprised at further demonstrations of this kind."
With the new citizenship law, the federal government wants to introduce shorter minimum stays for naturalization - instead of eight years, five years should be enough, or even just three in the case of special integration achievements. The law already stipulates that people who have committed crimes for anti-Semitic or racist reasons will not be eligible for a German passport. Another requirement should be the ability to earn a living without social benefits.
FDP: Do not abuse the right to freedom of assembly
The vice-chairman of the FDP in the Bundestag, Konstantin Kuhle, told "Die Welt" that no one should abuse the fundamental right of freedom of assembly to support terror and violence, spread anti-Semitic slogans or commit crimes. In the event of such findings, "all possibilities under assembly law up to and including the banning of an assembly" must be utilized. "If crimes are committed on the fringes of gatherings, then all measures under immigration law up to and including deportation must be used in the case of people without a German passport," said Kuhle.
The Parliamentary Secretary of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Thorsten Frei (CDU), said: "The fact that extremists are proclaiming a caliphate on our streets and showing open hatred of Jews must have consequences." What is needed is "not only a consistent, but above all a swift response from the constitutional state".
Tackling anti-Semitism among Arabs and Turks
The Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Semitism, Felix Klein, called for greater focus to be placed on anti-Semitism among the Arab and Turkish population. "Around 23.8 million people with a migration background lived in Germany last year, some of them for decades, and many were born here," he told the Funke media group newspapers. "The anti-Israeli aggression in everyday life, at demonstrations and online in recent days has shown that it is all too easy to activate anti-Semitic attitudes among some members of this population group of Arab origin."
- The increase in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Germany has led to investigations into various cases of suspected incitement to hatred, including anti-Semitic slogans, which Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz strongly condemns and emphasizes that attacking Jews is an attack on all of Germany.
- In response to the recent incidents at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including displays of banners calling for an Islamist caliphate and the spread of anti-Semitic slogans, CDU leader Friedrich Merz has criticized the federal government's planned naturalization reform, fearing that it could encourage further demonstrations of this kind.
Source: www.dpa.com
