GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF Scholz again called for a ceasefire today ahead of the first anniversary of the war in Gaza, as his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to send troops into ground operations in Lebanon and called for a halt on arms deliveries to Israel for use in Gaza
Scholz also warned against rising anti-Semitism in society.
“Unfortunately, on this first anniversary of Hamas’s terror attack on Israel, peace or even reconciliation in the Middle East seem more distant than ever,” Scholz said in a video message.
The German government “continues to persistently advocate for a ceasefire, which must now finally come about”, he added. “So that the civilian population in the Gaza Strip can be better protected and, of course, better cared for. And so that the Israeli hostages can finally be released.”
The unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Palestinian militants resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.
Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 41,870 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry described as reliable by the United Nations.
After a devastating year-long conflict in the coastal Palestinian territory, Israel has in recent weeks turned its focus northwards to Hezbollah, Hamas’s Iran-backed ally in Lebanon, fuelling fears of an all-out war in the region.
“We are in close contact with our international partners to prevent a further escalation of the conflict,” Scholz said.
He also warned against rising anti-Jewish sentiment in Germany and reiterated Berlin’s unwavering support for Israel.
“It must never be the case that Jewish citizens here in Germany have to live in fear and terror,” Scholz said.
“We will never accept anti-Semitism and blind hatred of Israel. The Jewish people here in Germany have the full solidarity of our state,” he added.
More than 5,000 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in Germany in 2023, half of them after the October 7 attacks, according to Felix Klein, the government’s commissioner for the fight against anti-Semitism.
Rival demonstrations took place in Berlin on Saturday ahead of the one-year anniversary, with police saying there were no major incidents.
Around 1,800 people joined a pro-Palestinian demo in the German capital, while some 650 people rallied in solidarity with Israel, Berlin police said.
Larger demonstrations are expected today.
Meanwhile, Macron urged that an escalation in Lebanon be avoided, as he criticised Netanyahu’s decision to send troops into Lebanon and called on a halt of arms deliveries to Israel for use in Gaza.
“I think that today, the priority is that we return to a political solution, that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza,” Macron told French broadcaster France Inter.
“France is not delivering any,” he added during the interview, which was recorded Tuesday.
Macron reiterated his concern over the conflict in Gaza that is continuing despite repeated calls for a ceasefire.
“I think we are not being heard,” he said. “I think it is a mistake, including for the security of Israel,” he said, adding that the war was leading to “hatred”.
His comments brought a swift response from Netanyahu.
“As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilised countries should be standing firmly by Israel’s side,” Netanyahu said in a statement issued by his office.
“Yet, President Macron and other Western leaders are now calling for arms embargoes against Israel. Shame on them.”
Israel was fighting a war on several fronts against groups backed by arch-foe Iran, the statement added.
Macron’ office responded with a statement of its own later Saturday.
France is a “steadfast friend of Israel”, it said, describing Netanyahu’s reaction as “excessive and detached from the friendship between France and Israel”.
Qatar, a key mediator in Gaza ceasefire talks, said Macron’s statement was “an important and appreciated step towards stopping the war”.
Jordan welcomed the French leader’s remarks and stressed “the importance of imposing a complete ban on the export of weapons to Israel” and “real consequences” for the country’s actions.
While both Paris and Washington had called for a ceasefire, said Macron, “I regret that Prime Minister Netanyahu has made another choice, has taken this responsibility, in particular, for ground operations on Lebanese soil.”
The 88 members of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), including France and Canada, have called for an “immediate and lasting” ceasefire in Lebanon, he added.
But Macron reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defence and said that on Monday he would be meeting relatives of Franco-Israelis held hostage in Gaza.
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