[ii] Scholz emphasized that the security of Israel and its citizens is a matter of German responsibility to atone for the Jewish Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime in the 1940s. [iii] Germany’s unique historical responsibility towards Israel is underscored by the concept of “Staatsräson” (reason of state), a term used by former Chancellor Angela Merkel and reiterated by her successor, Olaf Scholz. The German government has expedited the processing of export applications for military equipment to Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas attack. German authorities, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have described and characterized pro-Palestinian protests and marches in Germany as potentially using anti-Semitic slogans and glorifying violence. The government has taken a hard-line stance against such protests, with the German state outright banning most pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 18, 2023 04:54 UTC