Germany condemns greenlighting 5 Israeli settlements in West Bank
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Germany seems to only value international law when it is unrelated to the aggression on Gaza.
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Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stand by as Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinians in the town of Huwwara in the occupied West Bank on October 13, 2022. (AFP)
Germany has sharply denounced "Israel's" recent decision to greenlight five settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, WAFA reported, describing it as a step that breaches international law and undermines attempts to achieve a "two-state" solution.
During a news conference in Berlin yesterday evening, German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer denounced the expansion as a major violation of international law, citing that such acts undermine the peace and security of all people in the region.
Fischer stated that Germany has asked the Israeli occupation to "immediately reverse its decisions" and that the European country criticizes the "so-called legitimization" of Israeli settlement outposts and the sanctioning of additional residential units in the West Bank.
The Israeli government's decision has generated worldwide outrage, with the Palestinian Foreign Ministry criticizing the permits as harmful to the chances for a sustainable Palestinian state.
However, Germany seems to only value international law when it is unrelated to aggression in Gaza as it has turned a blind eye to the hundreds of war crimes committed by the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip.
Germany is currently being sued by Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) due to Berlin's complicity in the Gaza genocide. Nicaragua argues that Germany is violating the 1948 Genocide Convention by aiding "Israel" militarily and financially, in addition to suspending funding to UNRWA, which it later reinstated except for Gaza.
Nicaragua asserted that Germany's arms transfers to "Israel" gave reason to make it complicit in the war crimes, as it asked the ICJ to issue emergency orders against it, something Germany considers "unjustified", according to its cabinet spokesperson Wolfgang Buechner.
It is worth noting that while 69% percent of "Israel's" arms acquisitions in 2023 came from US corporations, 30% came from Germany, and 0.9% from Italy, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's (SIPRI) annual study issued in March revealed.
Last week, a new report issued by Germany’s Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser revealed that it was dealing with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement as a "suspected extremist case," noting that it had "links to secular Palestinian extremism."
Recently, more than 2,000 German academics signed a letter calling for the resignation of the country’s Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger criticizing her efforts to penalize scholars supporting pro-Palestinian students.
The scholars emphasized in a statement that "academics in Germany are experiencing an unprecedented attack on their fundamental rights, on the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law."
Germany's new amendment: recognize 'Israel' in exchange of citizenship
Not only that but CNN also reported that as of Thursday, Germany has implemented new citizenship requirements, forcing applicants seeking naturalization to affirm "Israel's" "right to exist" in exchange for acquiring a German nationality.
The German government spearheads the initiative to address concerns over alleged increasing antisemitism.
It introduces additional questions into the naturalization exam, covering topics such as antisemitism, "Israeli sovereignty", and Jewish life within Germany.
The legislative change follows heightened debate sparked by Germany's support for "Israel" in its genocidal campaign on Gaza.
Amid ongoing pro-Palestine protests, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other officials have previously affirmed that "Israel's" security is a matter of national interest for Germany.
Critics say that these measures may suppress freedoms of speech and assembly, particularly impacting Germany's sizable Palestinian community, estimated at 300,000.
