At the commemoration of the Hamas attack there was an exchange of blows: the Chancellor defended himself against the CDU leader’s accusation of boycotting arms deliveries to Israel.
Berlin – Im Bundestag is the members’ remembrance of the victims of the Hamas-Raid on Israel moved into the background. The reason: Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and CDU leader Friedrich Merz exchanged blows over the issue of military and material support for Israel.
During demonstrations of solidarity in the Bundestag on Thursday (October 10), opposition leader Merz accused the government of refusing to grant approval for the export of ammunition and the delivery of spare parts for tanks to Israel. He explained that “a large number of companies” had come forward with written documents stating that permits had been applied for and had not been processed by the federal government for months. “What is this other than the actual refusal of export permits?” said Merz.
Scholz suddenly promises weapons: allegations from CDU leader Merz rejected in debate
The SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich and Scholz rejected the accusation. Scholz said the government had not decided not to supply weapons to Israel, reports the German Press Agency. “We have delivered weapons and we will deliver weapons,” said the Chancellor, who spoke as a member of parliament in response to Merz’s allegations.
There will be further deliveries soon, explained Scholz. The announcement is explosive because the federal government has not approved any military weapons exports to Israel since March, according to responses from the Federal Ministry of Economics to inquiries from Bundestag member Sevim Dagdelen from the alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW). However, the federal government had emphasized that there was no arms export boycott against Israel.
Baerbock intervenes: Military decisions by the Bundestag are actually confidential
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) emphasized the confidentiality of such decisions, which lies within the Federal Government with the Federal Security Council. However, she referred to a lawsuit before the International Court of Justice. “The Federal Republic of Germany made it clear that we are supplying weapons to support Israel.” At the same time, international law applies.
Baerbock emphasized that it is not a contradiction to support Israel’s right to self-defense in “accordance with international humanitarian law”. International humanitarian law and Israel’s right to exist were “closely” related. This is what German reasons of state stand for. This is also why Germany struggles every day to provide help Gaza come. “Israel can only live in peace in the long term if its neighbors, the Palestinians, can also live in peace in the long term,” said Baerbock.
The anniversary of the war in Israel: President of the Bundestag remembers the hostages kidnapped from the Gaza Strip
Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) called October 7, 2023 a turning point for the people in Israel, for the entire region and for Jews all over the world. Their thoughts are with the relatives of the dead and the hostages kidnapped in the Gaza Strip. “Time stood still for you on October 7th,” said the President of the Bundestag.
There has been war since October 7th, said Bas. Israel is attacked almost daily with rockets from Hamas from the south and Hezbollah from the north. The President of the Bundestag emphasized: “Standing up for Israel’s security is part of the historical responsibility that arises for us Germans from the Shoah.”
In which Terrorist attack on October 7, 2023 More than 1,200 people were murdered in Israel and more than 240 were abducted to the Gaza Strip. About 100 hostages are still in the hands of Hamas. The massacre triggered the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, in which tens of thousands of Palestinians have since been killed (bg/dpa).
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