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German Foreign Minister speaks out on 'disgrace' of antisemitic attacks

Heiko Maas wonders if Germans are worthy of the 'wonderful gift' of its relations with Israel

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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has described recent antisemitic incidents in his country as a "disgrace".

Addressing a Yom Ha'atzmaut event in Berlin, Mr Maas said that "as long as Jewish schools and synagogues in Germany need to be guarded, as long as youth are being attacked on the street for wearing a kippah, as long as German music awards are given to antisemitic provocateurs – it's a disgrace". 

He sometimes felt Germans were not worthy of the "wonderful gift" of the nation's relations with Israel.

Israel's ambassador to Germany, Jeremy Issacharoff, praised Mr Maas's remarks.

In the latest incident, a 21-year-old Israeli Arab, Adam Armush, was attacked on a Berlin street by a 19-year-old Palestinian asylum seeker from Syria. Although not Jewish, Mr Armush was wearing a kippah as an experiment after being told by a Jewish friend that being identifiably Jewish in Berlin was not safe.

 

 

 

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