A social media post by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opposing what he called the “de facto annexation" of Judea and Samaria sparked a fierce confrontation on Monday evening with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Merz directly criticized the Israeli government’s policy in Judea and Samaria and revealed that he had demanded Prime Minister Netanyahu impose a ban on the “de facto annexation" of the area.
“I am deeply concerned about developments in the Palestinian territories. In my phone call with Prime Minister Netanyahu, I made it clear: There must be no de facto annexation of the West Bank," the German Chancellor wrote on social media.
His remarks, posted just hours before the start of Holocaust Memorial Day events, immediately provoked outrage in the Israeli political system - particularly from Smotrich, who serves as Minister of Finance, Minister in the Defense Ministry, and head of the Settlement Administration.
“On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the German Chancellor should bow his head and apologize a thousand times on behalf of Germany," Smotrich wrote. “He should not dare lecture us on how to deal with the Nazis of our generation - who murdered, raped, slaughtered, and burned women, the elderly, and children in the most horrific massacre committed against the Jewish people since the terrible Holocaust."
The minister went on to blast European leadership as a whole, claiming it has lost its moral compass and its ability to distinguish between good and evil. “We will not accept instructions from hypocritical European leaders who are once again losing their conscience and their ability to tell right from wrong.
Smotrich then addressed the Jewish people’s right to their land and delivered a firm message to the Chancellor:
“Mr. Chancellor, the days when Germans dictated to Jews where they are allowed to live and where they are not - are over and will never return. You will not force us back into ghettos - certainly not in our own land."
He concluded by stating that the Jewish people’s return to their biblical homeland is the ultimate answer to anyone who has tried to destroy them throughout history:
“Our return to the Land of Israel - our biblical and historic homeland - is the resounding response to all those who have tried and continue to try to destroy us. We will not apologize for it even for a moment. Am Yisrael Chai."
No comments:
Post a Comment