With the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the security situation in Germany is once again becoming a focus of the interior ministers. Bavarian Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) spoke on Deutschlandfunk on Friday morning of a “dramatic escalation” of the situation in the Middle East.
The interior ministers would pay particular attention to the protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions. They also stated that “overreactions on the streets must be prevented as much as possible.” Physical attacks, as well as hate speech and incitement, have increased since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The Interior Ministers’ Conference is meeting in Bremerhaven until Wednesday.
Israel launched a major attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and military targets overnight. Tehran sent more than 100 drones toward Israel in response.
SPD foreign policy expert Rolf Mützenich told Deutschlandfunk that the focus now must be on containing a potential conflagration in the Middle East. Israel has a right to self-defense, but this is tied to an imminent danger and an existential threat.
Whether Israel was able to take advantage of this will certainly be discussed in the UN Security Council, speculated the member of the Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mützenich also emphasized the danger of Iran’s nuclear program. “Tehran has always been irresponsible in this spiral,” he said. dpa/ja
