Merkel criticizes Netanyahu in her book and praises Ehud Olmert as a defender of the two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticizes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in her newly published memoir, accusing him of “completely undermining” the two-state solution. She also admits to having had “insurmountable” differences with him.
In the long-awaited 720-page autobiography, Freedom: Memories 1954-2021Merkel, 70, reflects on her legacy with a more defensive tone, especially in her interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin – whose invasion of Ukraine came just three months after he left office – and with Donald Trump during his first term. as president of the USA. That period saw her hailed as the de facto leader of the free world and “the West’s last, best hope.”
In her foreign policy analysis, Merkel focuses mainly on Russia and the United States, making brief mentions of countries such as France and China, while largely leaving the Middle East aside, except for Israel.
In a chapter dedicated to the Jewish state, Merkel describes her first visit as minister in 1991 to her last as chancellor in 2021. She reflects on her relations with Israel and the political figures with whom she interacted, especially Shimon Peres, Ehud Olmert, Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett.
Merkel says she “liked” Olmert, describing him as “direct and objective”, and stated that he was “genuinely” committed to the two-state solution, convincing her to allow the German army to participate in the German peacekeeping missions. UNIFIL after the Second Lebanon War, in 2006.
Merkel highlights her support for this solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, noting that it required Israel to have enough strength to make painful concessions, such as suspending settlement expansion.
As of 2009, however, she writes that differences with Netanyahu have become insurmountable. “We could only agree on the formula ‘we agree to disagree,’” she writes. Merkel criticizes him further, noting that although he “sometimes mentioned the words two-state solution,” in practice “he did nothing about it.” Through building settlements in the West Bank, she argues, Netanyahu “really completely undermined” the solution.
Merkel was chancellor for 16 years, from 2005 to 2021, and her legacy with Israel is particularly significant, reflecting Germany’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s right to exist – an approach that has become increasingly controversial following the Hamas attack in 7 October and the subsequent Israeli offensive on Gaza.
In her 2008 Knesset speech, Merkel reiterated the “special historical responsibility” that every German government bears for Israel’s security, describing it as a fundamental element of Reason of State (reason of state) of your country.
The former chancellor writes that the term Reason of State remained with her, especially after the “horrific” Hamas terrorist attacks last year. Regarding Israel, she notes that it is “the only democratic state in the Middle East”, constantly exposed to threats, but supported, no less, by a strong civil society. She writes that she hoped Israel would receive global solidarity later, while denouncing “anti-Semitism manifested in unbridled incitement” in Germany.
Commenting on protests in Germany against Israel’s war in Gaza, Merkel says that “while the desire for a viable Palestinian state and the legitimacy of criticism of the actions of Germany or Israel remain valid”, some have used these demonstrations “as cover for express their hatred for the State of Israel and the Jews.”
She condemns this as an abuse of the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and assembly. “This must be prosecuted and prevented by all means of our rule of law,” he states, criticizing anti-Semitism “whether right-wing, left-wing or ‘Islamically’ motivated.” She adds that combating it is “a duty of the State and civil society.”
In the chapter on Israel, Merkel shares personal anecdotes about how each visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem “closed her throat.” She also talks about how she toyed with the idea of living in a desert town like Sde Boker during a visit with then-Israeli President Peres – inspired by the journey of West Germany’s first chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, who visited former Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion at his home in the Negev desert in 1966.
Merkel, the first and only woman to lead Germany, co-wrote her memoir with her longtime political confidante Beate Baumann. The book is divided into two major themes: his life before and during his chancellorship. This covers 35 years in East Germany and 35 years in politics. She reflects on everything from her upbringing in communist Germany to the migration crisis during her tenure, which led to the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and raised concerns about the future of democracy.
She warns that the main parties in Germany will “fail” if they believe they can keep the far right marginal by simply “outrunning them rhetorically” without offering solutions, particularly on refugee policy. Throughout the book, Merkel takes on the role of a centrist elder stateswoman, advocating “measure and moderation” as essential to the success of democratic politics.
With information from Haaretz*
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2024/11/27/merkel-acusa-netanyahu-de-sabotar-a-paz-no-oriente-medio/
