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In view of the current Israeli ground offensive in Gaza, Habeck criticizes Netanyahu’s actions as a breach of international law. The CSU is full of criticism.
Berlin – Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economic Affairs Robert Habeck (The Greens) has condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza War criticized as a breach of international law. “Of course Israel must abide by international law. And the famine, the suffering of the Palestinian population, the attacks in the Gaza Strip are – as we now see in court – incompatible with international law,” said Habeck on Saturday (25 May) in a public discussion at the Democracy Festival in Berlin.
“That means that Israel has indeed crossed its borders there, and it must not do that.” At the same time, the Green politician pointed out that the Hamas in the Gaza Strip could end the war immediately if it laid down its weapons.
CSU sharply criticizes Habeck’s statements: “Anti-Israeli propaganda” and “left-wing anti-Semitism”
CSU General Secretary Martin Huber, meanwhile, described Habeck’s statements as “unbelievable and shameful”. The economics minister was “pouring oil on the fire of the already anti-Semitic mood in Germany”, he wrote on Sunday on X. Huber accused Habeck of “serving the narrative of Hamas and Israel haters”. His comments bordered on reversing the roles of perpetrator and victim. “He is thus joining the ranks of the anti-Israeli propagandists of left-wing anti-Semitism. This must have no place in our society”.
Less than a week after the Hamas terror attack on October 7, Habeck assured Israel of Germany’s “unconditional solidarity” in an emotional video message. “Israel has every right to defend itself. And we will support it wherever it needs our support,” he said at the time.
The entire German government, for which Israel’s security is a matter of state, had long held back from criticising Israel’s conduct of the war. Only gradually did the warnings to the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu become clearer, especially with regard to a possible large-scale ground offensive in the city of Rafah is concerned.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled to the city in the south of the Gaza Strip to seek protection in refugee camps following the Israeli offensive in the north of the country. The German government has repeatedly expressed its expectation that Israel will abide by international law. However, the accusation of violating international law made by Habeck is new.
Proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice: Arrest warrant for Netanyahu
In his statement, the Minister of Economic Affairs refers to legal proceedings against Israel. However, no international court has yet convicted Israel of violating international law. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, requested arrest warrants on Monday (20 May) for alleged crimes against humanity against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Joav Galant. The court has yet to decide on this.
![Martin Huber](https://www.merkur.de/assets/images/34/651/34651946-martin-huber-RlBG.jpg)
On Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to immediately end the military operation in Rafah. In the emergency decision, however, the judges in the proceedings initiated by South Africa left open the question of whether Israel was committing genocide. This must be clarified in a main trial. President of the court, Nawaf Salam, meanwhile described the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip as “catastrophic”.
Although the ICJ did not call for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and the radical Islamic Hamas, arguing that Israel has the right to self-defense, the ruling is nevertheless a bombshell for Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.
“Serious concerns” – US State Department strongly criticizes Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip
Two weeks ago, the US State Department in a report to Congress did not come to a clear conclusion about possible violations of international humanitarian law by the Israeli armed forces with US weapons. Due to the situation in the war zone, it is difficult to evaluate individual incidents or make conclusive statements, it says. “However, there are enough reported incidents that give rise to serious concerns.” The State Department has received from several credible U.N.– and non-governmental sources have received reports of possible human rights violations by Israeli forces.
Habeck and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) reiterated the federal government’s warnings against a large-scale military offensive in Rafah on Saturday. “Our statement is that warfare must always be conducted in such a way that it respects the rules of international law,” Scholz said at a public meeting in his Potsdam constituency.
President Biden also criticizes the offensive against Rafah – and threatens Netanyahu
“That is why we have always been very clear in saying: We cannot imagine an offensive in Rafah without terrible, unacceptable human losses.” Habeck pointed out that the German government has always said “that Israel must not carry out this attack, at least not in the way it has previously acted in the Gaza Strip: bombing refugee camps and so on.”
President Joe Biden had previously announced that he would not support an Israeli ground offensive against the city of Rafah and threatened the Israeli government that he would stop US arms exports if an offensive were to take place. Netanyahu continues to insist on achieving a “total victory” against Hamas and is thus justifying the offensive against the city, where, according to Israel, fighters from the terrorist organization are still present. (dpa/sischr)
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