“Unimaginably cruel and unbearable images and reports are reaching us from Israel. It is criminal and despicable what Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip have been doing in Israel since the early hours of October 7, 2023. Clearly, killing and abducting as many Israeli civilians as possible is the stated goal of this pogrom-like attack. Not since the Shoah has this happened on this scale. The horror of these inhuman acts perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists is staggering.

Both on a personal level and on behalf of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, I assure Israel of our full solidarity. It is self-evident that Israel has the right of self-defense and retaliation. This is therefore not the time to give advice, but rather the time to make clear what Israel’s security means in concrete terms as part of Germany’s raison d’état.

It is against this background that long overdue adjustments should be made in the area of financial assistance to the Palestinians. All German development aid to the Palestinians must be scrutinized to ensure that it does not benefit terrorist organizations, even indirectly. Germany must also take an unequivocal stand against Iran, but also against Israel’s other enemies. Germany stands with Israel.

We should also take a critical look at the country we live in. The pictures from Berlin-Neukölln, where the suffering in Israel was apparently celebrated, show, not for the first time, that anti-Semitism is particularly virulent among immigrant groups. Those who cheerfully hand out candy when Jews are murdered in Israel must be confronted with the full force of the German law. In our country, with its democratic constitution, we must not tolerate anti-Semitism, whether by natives or immigrants.

For more than forty years, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has been present in Jerusalem. We will continue to do everything we can to support Israel on the ground. At the same time, we ensure the safety of all local employees. The situation in Israel, and how we work there, is bound to change. But one thing is certain: the Adenauer Stiftung will continue to stand by Israel.”