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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
German hesitation on Gaza could encourage atrocities, Israeli academics say
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BERLIN - More than 100 Israeli academics have warned in a letter that a failure by Germany to put pressure on Israel could lead to new atrocities in Gaza. "Further hesitation on Germany's part threatens to enable new atrocities - and undermines the lessons learnt from its own history," the academics wrote in the letter, addressed to senior Social Democrat (SPD) lawmakers Rolf Muetzenich and Adis Ahmetovic and seen by Reuters on Tuesday. On July 22, the two men, whose party is in the ruling coalition, had called for Germany to join an international coalition pushing for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, sanctions against Israel and a suspension of weapons deliveries. The German government - comprising the conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the SPD - has sharpened its criticism of Israel over the manmade humanitarian catastrophe visited on Gaza's 2 million people, but has yet to announce any major policy change. Israel denies having a policy of starvation in Gaza, and says the Hamas militant group, responsible for an operation that killed 1,200 people in Israel in October 2023 and took hundreds more hostage, could end the crisis by surrendering. Critics argue that Germany's response to the war has been overly cautious, mostly owing to an enduring sense of guilt for the Nazi Holocaust, weakening the West's collective ability to put pressure on Israel. "If over 100 Israeli academics are calling for an immediate change of course ... then it's high time we took visible action," Ahmetovic told the public broadcaster ARD. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore More train rides taken in first half-year, but overall public transport use stays below 2019 levels Singapore BlueSG needs time to develop software, refresh fleet, say ex-insiders after winding-down news Asia Cambodia-Thailand border clash a setback for Asean: Vivian Balakrishnan Singapore 'She had a whole life ahead of her': Boyfriend mourns Yishun fatal crash victim Singapore Doctor hounded ex-girlfriend, threatened to share her intimate photos, abducted her off street Asia Trump's transactional foreign policy fuels 'US scepticism' in Taiwan Business Women on corporate boards give firms a competitive advantage, says Australian Governor-General Singapore CEO of sports car distributor accused of offences including multiple counts of false trading Britain, Canada and France have signalled their readiness to recognise a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territory at the United Nations General Assembly this September. REUTERS
Reuters
6 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
German hesitation on Gaza could encourage atrocities, Israeli academics say
BERLIN, Aug 5 (Reuters) - More than 100 Israeli academics have warned in a letter that a failure by Germany to put pressure on Israel could lead to new atrocities in Gaza. "Further hesitation on Germany's part threatens to enable new atrocities - and undermines the lessons learnt from its own history," the academics wrote in the letter, addressed to senior Social Democrat (SPD) lawmakers Rolf Muetzenich and Adis Ahmetovic and seen by Reuters on Tuesday. On July 22, the two men, whose party is in the ruling coalition, had called for Germany to join an international coalition pushing for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, sanctions against Israel and a suspension of weapons deliveries. The German government - comprising the conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the SPD - has sharpened its criticism of Israel over the manmade humanitarian catastrophe visited on Gaza's 2 million people, but has yet to announce any major policy change. Israel denies having a policy of starvation in Gaza, and says the Hamas militant group, responsible for an operation that killed 1,200 people in Israel in October 2023 and took hundreds more hostage, could end the crisis by surrendering. Critics argue that Germany's response to the war has been overly cautious, mostly owing to an enduring sense of guilt for the Nazi Holocaust, weakening the West's collective ability to put pressure on Israel. "If over 100 Israeli academics are calling for an immediate change of course ... then it's high time we took visible action," Ahmetovic told the public broadcaster ARD. Britain, Canada and France have signalled their readiness to recognise a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territory at the United Nations General Assembly this September.
