New open letter calls on Germany to stop arms shipments to Israel
More than 200 cultural figures are calling on the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz to pressure the Jewish state to bring peace to Gaza. They are demanding, among other things, a halt to arms exports to Israel.
"Christian Democratic Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul plans to visit Israel and the West Bank for two days. Discussions on the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza are planned in Jerusalem and Ramallah," reports Der Spiegel . But, according to the centrist weekly, "for many German figures, just talking is not enough."
In a new open letter, more than 200 artists and cultural figures have called on the Christian Conservative-Social Democratic government to implement “more concrete measures” to bring peace to Gaza. They propose suspending the Association Agreement between the European Union (EU) and Israel, and reiterating calls for a ceasefire and the passage of humanitarian aid.
But above all, the signatories of the op-ed – which include artists Christiane Paul, Daniel Brühl, Jürgen Vogel, and Shirin David – call for a halt to German arms deliveries to Israel. Addressing themselves directly to the Christian Democratic Chancellor,Friedrich Merz , whom they believe is “one of the few who can persuade Israel to change course,” they write:
“You have openly criticized the Israeli regime in recent days, and we salute
Courrier International
