Chancellor Scholz promises Israel Germany’s solidarity in the fight against terror. In the Bundestag, the Chancellor blamed Iran for the major attack. And he announced a ban on Hamas in Germany.
Chancellor Scholz has announced a ban on the activities of the terrorist organization Hamas in Germany. In addition, the Palestinian network Samidoun is to be banned. Scholz said this in his government statement in the Bundestag. He assured Israel of Germany’s solidarity in the fight against Hamas terror.
Anyone who glorifies the crimes of Hamas in Germany or even supports the organization is committing a criminal offense. The criminal authorities would strictly pursue this, said Scholz. The Samidoun club had that Hamas attacks publicly celebrated.
“Place on the side of Israel”
Israel woke up in a nightmare, said Scholz. More than a thousand people were killed and thousands injured in Hamas’ major attack. In Israel everyone knows someone who is affected. “Dear friends in Israel, we mourn and we fear for you,” said Scholz.
“Israel has the right under international law to defend itself against this barbaric attack,” said Scholz. Security must be restored. “At this moment there is only one place for Germany, the place at Israel’s side. Israel’s security is German raison d’être.” The history of the Holocaust makes it Germany’s task to work for Israel’s security.
Scholz said he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to keep him informed about what help Israel needed. It also involves practical help such as caring for the wounded, he said: “But we will also immediately examine other requests for support from Israel.”
Germany wants to help free hostages
They are working in coordination with Israel to free the hostages in the Gaza Strip. There are also Germans among them. “We fear that Hamas will continue to abuse them as human shields in the next few weeks,” said Scholz. “And we are working with all our might to ensure that all hostages are released – in close coordination with Israel and with the necessary confidentiality.” Many of those abducted were seriously injured in body and soul and humiliated in the most disgusting ways by their captors.
Scholz also sees Iran as sharing responsibility for the major attack on Israel by the militant Islamist Hamas. “So far we have no solid evidence that Iran concretely and operationally supported this cowardly attack by Hamas,” said Scholz. But “without Iranian support over the past few years, Hamas would not have been capable of these unprecedented attacks on Israeli territory.”
“Devastating conflagration” feared
Hezbollah in Lebanon should not intervene in the fighting, Scholz continued. There is a risk of a “devastating conflagration” extending to North Africa. The Chancellor warned that Israel’s neighbors should behave peacefully: “It would be an unforgivable mistake to attack Israel.”
Scholz said he was wondering where the condemnation of the Hamas attack by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority was. Hamas offers the Palestinian population “nothing but poverty and suffering.”
Scholz defends meeting with the Emir of Qatar
Scholz wants to meet with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Berlin today. The rich Gulf state is one of Hamas’s most important supporters and is said to have offered itself as a mediator for a prisoner exchange.
Scholz defended the meeting with the Emir in his speech. Qatar plays an important role as a mediator, which it is currently using, said Scholz. The Chancellor said he was in close contact with Egyptian head of state Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who also had communication channels to Gaza. He will also speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday. “All three can play an important role in mediating and de-escalating the current situation.”
Scholz went on to say that he would say to critics of such contacts: “It would be irresponsible not to use all contacts that can help in this dramatic situation. We are doing this in close coordination with Israel and for those who were kidnapped by Hamas. ” Next week he will also receive the Jordanian King Abdullah II, who plays a special role in Israeli-Palestinian relations, said the Chancellor.