Conflicts - SPD leader Saleh: Must manage asylum migration better
In the discussion about the Gaza war, Berlin SPD state chairman Raed Saleh has acknowledged problems in controlling immigration. At the same time, Saleh, who comes from Palestine, criticized politicians for making sweeping and populist statements on the subject. He indirectly directed a similar accusation against Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in an interview with the "Tagesspiegel" (Tuesday).
When asked whether immigration by asylum seekers should be limited, Saleh (44), who is also the leader of the SPD parliamentary group in Berlin, replied: "There's no question about it, of course we need to control it better. But the tone makes the music. We must continue to emphasize that we are dependent on immigration." Germany is a country of immigration and diversity has "made Germany stronger".
In response to Chancellor Scholz's statement that we must now "deport people on a grand scale", Saleh said: "I would have liked to see different words from a Social Democrat on the cover of Der Spiegel." The sentence was "cynical". Several weeks ago, Scholz had announced a much more resolute course in migration policy in "Der Spiegel" and said: "We must finally deport those who have no right to stay in Germany on a large scale."
Saleh, who was born in the West Bank, criticized statements such as "Integration has failed". Such statements are simply wrong. "Anyone who claims that integration has failed overall only proves that they have no idea about people's lives." Demands for blanket bans on demonstrations for Palestinians or the withdrawal of German passports are also "neither legally feasible nor do they help anyone".
Saleh emphasized that many Jews no longer felt safe in Germany, while at the same time Muslims felt that they were being placed under general suspicion. "We must not tolerate either anti-Semitism or Islamophobia in Germany. We must not allow ourselves to be divided now." One thing is clear: "Every form of anti-Semitism must be fought hard - whether it comes from the left, the right, from the center of society or from migrant communities."
Interview
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- Raed Saleh, the SPD parliamentary group leader in Berlin and a Palestinian native from the West Bank, voices concerns about the handling of asylum migration in Germany, particularly in light of the recent Gaza war discussions.
- Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor and SPD leader, has suggested a more aggressive approach to deporting asylum seekers without a right to stay in Germany, which Saleh finds unsatisfactory and cynical.
- Saleh believes that immigration has made Germany stronger and that controlling immigration is necessary, but the tone should remain positive and emphasize the country's dependence on immigration.
- The SPD leader criticizes the use of statements like "Integration has failed" as misleading and harmful, as they lack understanding of individual experiences and lives.
- Saleh recognizes that feelings of insecurity exist among both Jews and Muslims in Germany, emphasizing the importance of combating anti-Semitism and Islamophobia from all sides of society.
- In response to calls for blanket bans on Palestinian demonstrations or revoking German passports, Saleh argues that such measures are neither legal nor beneficial.
- In his interview with the "Tagesspiegel," Saleh indirectly criticized Chancellor Scholz for making populist immigration statements, suggesting that different language choices could have been more conducive to a more inclusive and compassionate discussion about asylum migration in Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
