Domestic policy - Naturalization with commitment to Israel's right to exist
From now on, applicants for naturalization in Saxony-Anhalt must declare their support for Israel's right to exist. This was stipulated by the Ministry of the Interior in a decree to the districts and independent cities at the end of November, as Minister Tamara Zieschang (CDU) said in Magdeburg on Tuesday.
The decree, which is available to the German Press Agency, states that the right of the Israeli state to exist is the raison d'être of the German state. "Obtaining German citizenship requires a commitment to Israel's right to exist." Applicants must therefore confirm in writing immediately before naturalization "that they recognize Israel's right to exist and condemn any efforts directed against the existence of the state of Israel".
In the case of naturalization, attention should be paid to "whether there are indications that anti-Semitic attitudes are present", said Zieschang. The letter to the local authorities states that naturalization is ruled out if foreigners pursue activities that are directed against the free democratic basic order. This also includes anti-Semitic crimes or the denial of Israel's right to exist.
The decree recommends that local authorities specify the wording of the declaration. If applicants refuse to make a declaration, the naturalization certificate may not be issued. This should be noted in the file and the naturalization application should be rejected, it said.
Zieschang had already expressed solidarity with the state at the beginning of October immediately after the attack on Israel by Islamist Hamas. "Israel's right to exist is and remains the raison d'être of the German state. This also applies to the protection of our Jewish fellow citizens in the country."
Read also:
- The new requirement for naturalization in Saxony-Anhalt specifically applies to individuals seeking citizenship in this German state.
- Following the Ministry of the Interior's decree, Tamara Zieschang, the CDU minister in Magdeburg, emphasized the importance of supporting Israel's right to exist as part of the naturalization process.
- As stated in the decree, Israel's right to exist is considered a fundamental prerequisite for the existence of the German state, and applicants must affirm this belief before receiving German citizenship.
- If applicants refuse to acknowledge Israel's right to exist or engage in activities that undermine this principle, their naturalization may be denied as a violation of German domestic policy.
- Tamara Zieschang reiterated her support for Israel's right to exist in October, following an attack on Israel by Hamas, emphasizing the importance of protecting the rights of Jewish citizens in Germany.
- Anti-Semitic attitudes or actions directed against Israel's right to exist are considered grounds for denying naturalization, as per the recommendations outlined in the decree issued by the Ministry of the Interior.
Source: www.stern.de
