Laschet defends Israel's reaction to Hamas massacre
The images from Gaza are terrible - yet former chancellor candidate Laschet believes the Israeli attacks are right. A massacre like the one carried out by Hamas on October 7 "would not be tolerated by any country in the world". In Germany, the CDU politician is observing a new dimension of anti-Semitism.
CDU foreign affairs politician Armin Laschet still considers Israel's attacks in the Gaza Strip to be justified despite the high number of victims. Of course, the images from Gaza are terrible and the sight of children being killed is almost unbearable. However, Israel is dealing with a Hamas massacre that it cannot tolerate. "And no country in the world would tolerate that," said Laschet in the ntv program "Frühstart".
Calculated in terms of population, the attack in Israel with 1,400 deaths would be the same as if 14,000 people died in Germany. "And then everyone in Germany will also say that we cannot accept being exposed to such a terrorist threat." Europe can only hope that Israel succeeds in destroying the military wing of Hamas. "Because otherwise there will also be terrorist attacks in Europe."
Israel's counter-attacks are covered by the right to self-defense and are urgently needed to destroy Hamas' military structure, said Laschet. "It is crucial that this military success against the terrorist organization succeeds now - and I hope with as few casualties as possible." Israel must comply with the international law of war and protect civilians as far as possible. However, this is not so easy when Hamas has its headquarters under Gaza's largest hospital.
Anti-Semitism in Germany "dramatic"
Laschet sees a new dimension of anti-Semitism in Germany on today's commemoration day for the Reichspogromnacht. Demonstrations against Israel have been common for a long time, but now anti-Semitic slogans, calls for boycotts of Jewish businesses and Stars of David on Jewish homes are being added, Laschet said on ntv. "All of this is dramatic and is more visible than ever these days. That's why this November 9 is a special day of remembrance - more so than in recent years." The fact that Jews have to fear for their lives again 85 years after the pogroms in Germany shows that a lot has gone wrong. We have always had to deal with right-wing anti-Semitism. There is also left-wing anti-Semitism and now increasingly that of Arab immigrants.
Nevertheless, Laschet rejected the call by the Israeli ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, to ban foreign imams from practicing. "That is not the solution." Of course we need to know better what is being preached in the mosques and the communities should stand up against anti-Semitism. But that is not the main problem. He does not believe that the people who are currently demonstrating against Jews and Israel go to the mosque on Fridays, said Laschet.
"These are politicized Arabs in particular, but also young Germans." Too little is taught about the Holocaust in schools. In addition, even at elite universities, things are said that are hard to believe. "The mixture, this intellectual anti-Semitism with the radicals on the street, that's the problem."
Laschet believes it would be wrong to cancel Turkish President Erdogan's visit to Germany because of his anti-Israel statements. Foreign policy should not mean only talking to those who think the same way we do, said Laschet. "Those who represent something like Erdogan, those who also have influence in the region, must be interlocutors of German foreign policy - you just have to speak plainly."
Source: www.ntv.de
