Latest news with #CentralCouncilofJews
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Israel aid up for debate, says Germany's Merz amid arms embargo calls
The German government is debating the extent of its aid to Israel, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday, amid calls for a weapons embargo over the war in Gaza. "We are in close contact and dialogue with the Israeli government," Merz said in Turku at a joint press conference with Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. While Berlin has steadfastly supported Israel since the October 7, 2023, attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, German leaders have stepped up demands in recent days for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and to support the territory's civilian population. In response to a question on the possibility of Germany suspending arms deliveries to Israel, Merz said the extent of support is "the subject of internal consultations within the German government" that have not yet been finalized. "We will first discuss this within the federal government and then make decisions," said the chancellor, who took office earlier this month. Merz on Monday issued a rare rebuke to Israel, warning that "if lines are crossed, where international humanitarian law is really being violated, then Germany, the German chancellor, must also say something about it." "Frankly, I no longer understand the Israeli army's actions in the Gaza Strip or what their goal is," he said. "Causing such suffering to the civilian population, as has been increasingly the case in recent days, can no longer be justified by the fight against Hamas terrorism." Israel has launched another offensive in Gaza, with dozens of deaths reported in the war-torn coastal territory daily. The move has sparked international condemnation, amid warnings that the 2 million Palestinians in Gaza are facing the risk of starvation due to Israel's recent blockade of humanitarian aid. Some countries, including Spain, are even floating the idea of imposing an arms embargo on Israel over the situation in the sealed-off Palestinian territory. The proposal has also been backed by some centre-left lawmakers in Germany, putting pressure on the government to respond. Ambassador: Israel listens to Merz Merz's comments have raised eyebrows, with Israel's ambassador to Germany saying on Tuesday that his government takes the criticism seriously. "When Friedrich Merz voices this criticism of Israel, we listen very carefully because he is a friend," ambassador Ron Prosor told broadcaster ZDF. Prosor stressed his country's determination to eliminate Hamas, arguing Israel cannot build a future as long as the Islamist terrorist organization still exists. "They want to wipe us out." The ambassador said Hamas had once again fired rockets at Israel on Tuesday, noting that a ceasefire could have been struck "yesterday" if the hostages held in Gaza were released, but accused Hamas of standing in the way. "They have turned schools into weapons depots, mosques into barracks and hospitals into command centres," he charged. Jewish leader calls for 'caution' Meanwhile, the Central Council of Jews in Germany has called for "caution" amid mounting German criticism of the Israeli military's actions in Gaza. "I call for caution in the debate: Politicians should avoid using anti-Semitic narratives that relativize hatred of Jews by referring to Israel's conduct of the war," Central Council President Josef Schuster told dpa on Tuesday. Schuster said he did not oppose Merz's comments, agreeing that "civilian casualties must be minimized as much as possible and humanitarian aid for the civilian population in Gaza is necessary." But he warned that the fight against the Hamas "terrorist militia" is existential for Israel, and said that Jews in Germany must not be collectively made responsible for the Israeli military's actions. "This exonerates all the Jew-haters who follow precisely this anti-Semitic logic," said Schuster. "The result is a normalization of Israel-related anti-Semitism, which worries the Jewish community in Germany." "In this fight, Germany must stand unwaveringly by Israel's side," he added. Schuster said Hamas bears responsibility for the suffering in Gaza, and could end it by releasing the hostages and laying down its weapons.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's Central Council of Jews makes Gaza aid appeal to Israel
Germany's Central Council of Jews is calling on the Israeli government to allow aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip. "The Israeli government must accept it has a responsibility for the civilian population in Gaza – and that includes allowing the delivery of aid supplies," Council President Josef Schuster told Berlin's Tagesspiegel newspaper on Wednesday. "The fight against Hamas is essential for Israel's security, and this security is also close to our hearts," Schuster said, but he added that "the war must come to an end." Echoing Israeli President Isaac Herzog's comments in Berlin at the beginning of the week, Schuster said "the release of the hostages is the key to everything." Militants from the Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking around 250 others hostage. The Israeli government responded with attacks and a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. It has been criticized internationally for blocking aid deliveries.
Express Tribune
01-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Elon Musk tells Joe Rogan, 'I'm not a Nazi,' calls online hate 'pretty stressful'
Elon Musk has firmly denied accusations of being a Nazi following backlash over a hand gesture he made at President Donald Trump's inauguration celebration in January. During a three-hour episode of The Joe Rogan Experience on Friday, Musk addressed the controversy, stating, 'Hopefully people realize I'm not a Nazi. Just to be clear, I'm not a Nazi.' 🚨JOE ROGAN: "What is it like to buy a company for $44B and then people call you a Nazi on the platform you just bought?" ELON MUSK: "I did Nazi it coming. *ba-dum-tss*." JOE ROGAN: "There's so many examples of people saying "my heart goes out to you." ELON MUSK: "I can now… — Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) February 28, 2025 The gesture, which some compared to a Nazi salute, sparked outrage from Jewish organizations and politicians. Michel Friedman, former vice president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, called it a 'disgrace' and a clear 'Heil Hitler' salute, while US Rep. Jerry Nadler condemned it on X. However, the Anti-Defamation League argued it was an 'awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute.' Musk defended himself with humor, joking, 'Now I can never point at things diagonally.' He also turned the names of prominent Nazis into puns in a post on X, writing, 'Don't say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would've been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming,' followed by a crying-laughing emoji. Don't say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would've been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming 😂 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 23, 2025 On the podcast, Musk argued that the essence of being a Nazi is tied to actions like genocide and war, not gestures or mannerisms. 'What's relevant about Nazis is like, are you invading Poland? And if you're not invading Poland, maybe you're not' a Nazi, he said. 'You have to be committing genocide and starting wars. What is actually bad about Nazis — it wasn't their fashion or their mannerisms, it was the war and genocide.' Musk also opened up about the emotional toll of online hate, calling it 'pretty stressful.' He revealed, 'They actually want to kill me. They say so online. There's like Reddit forums where they don't just want to kill me, they want to desecrate my corpse.' The billionaire's comments come amid ongoing scrutiny over his political affiliations, including his support for Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has been criticized for repurposing Nazi slogans and downplaying the country's historical crimes. Despite the backlash, Musk remains unapologetic, using humor and logic to deflect criticism while acknowledging the personal strain of being in the public eye.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Elon Musk says 'I'm not a Nazi' and the online hate he gets in general is 'pretty stressful'
Elon Musk says he's not a Nazi following backlash to a gesture he made last month. Musk said to Joe Rogan that you can't be called a Nazi if you're not actively committing genocide. "What is actually bad about Nazis — it wasn't their fashion or their mannerisms, it was the war and genocide," he said. Elon Musk says he's not a Nazi and that the online hate he's been receiving is "pretty stressful." In a three-hour episode of Joe Rogan's podcast on Friday, Rogan and Musk discussed a recent incident that fueled accusations that the billionaire SpaceX and Tesla CEO made a Nazi gesture. While speaking to the crowd at President Donald Trump's inauguration celebration in January, Musk made a gesture that caused many to question whether it was intended to be a fascist salute. For example, the former vice president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany Michel Friedman, told a German outlet that Musk's action was a disgrace and, in his opinion, very clearly a "Heil Hitler" salute, The Guardian reported. US Rep. Jerry Nadler also condemned the gesture in a post on X, several Jewish organizations spoke out against it, and Jewish human rights group the Simon Wiesenthal Center urged Musk to clarify his intentions. Meanwhile, The Anti-Defamation League argued in a post on X that it was "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute." Social media sites including Musk-owned X have since been swarmed with users accusing the billionaire of condoning Nazism. In response to the controversy, Musk wrote on X at the time, "Don't say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would've been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming," turning the names of prominent Nazis into puns, followed by a crying-laughing emoji. On Friday, Musk told Rogan that the persistent criticisms are "ridiculous," and that the gesture was not a Nazi salute, joking, "Now I can never point at things diagonally." "Hopefully people realize I'm not a Nazi. Just to be clear, I'm not a Nazi," Musk said, laughing. Musk then argued that if you're not committing genocide, then you can't be called a Nazi. "What's relevant about Nazis is like, are you invading Poland? And if you're not invading Poland, maybe you're not" a Nazi, he said. "You have to be committing genocide and starting wars. " "What is actually bad about Nazis — it wasn't their fashion or their mannerisms, it was the war and genocide," he added. At another point in the episode, Rogan asked the billionaire how he personally deals with hate and attacks against him. "It's pretty stressful," Musk answered, taking a much more serious tone. "They actually want to kill me. They say so online. There's like Reddit forums where they don't just want to kill me, they want to desecrate my corpse." It's not just Musk's arm gestures that have led critics to debate whether he supports Nazi ideologies. The frontman of the White House DOGE office has also supported Germany's far-right political party, the Alternative for Germany party, which is fiercely nationalistic and anti-immigration. Leaders of the AfD party have repurposed Nazi slogans, urged Germany to stop apologizing for its past crimes, and said the Nazis are just a "speck of bird poop" in Germany's long, successful history. Musk did not respond to BI's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jewish leader Schuster: Islamists hate Jews and Western values
The alleged anti-Semitic attack on a tourist in Berlin reveals an often misunderstood ideological world of the perpetrator, the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany said on Saturday. "Contempt for the memory of the Shoah and hatred of Jews go hand in hand with the fundamental denial of our Western values and are often the ideological core of Islamists," Josef Schuster, the president of the organization, said. He called the attack a terrible act. On Friday evening, a 19-year-old Syrian man who had been granted asylum had reportedly attacked a Spanish visitor to the Holocaust Memorial with a knife from behind, leaving him in a critical condition. The tourist is 30 years old. The attacker's aim was to kill Jews and that's why he chose the Holocaust Memorial as his location, the public prosecutor said. According to the public prosecutor, the attacker's aim was to kill Jews. The location was also chosen with this in mind.
