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Annalena Baerbock, Christian Lindner (in June 2023)
Photo: CLEMENS BILAN / EPA
FDP leader Christian Lindner was not involved in the decision on Germany's controversial abstention from a UN resolution on the war between Israel and the radical Palestinian organization Hamas, according to his own statements. "I have not yet had the opportunity to talk to Ms. Baerbock about the considerations that led to this voting behavior," he said on Sunday evening in the ARD program "Report from Berlin."
Without directly referring to Germany's voting behavior in New York, Lindner added: "I only perceive that Hamas is celebrating the vote and strongly criticizing Israel." Regardless of the decision at the UN, he wanted to "expressly make it clear to the federal government that we stand by Israel," the FDP leader continued. We know that Israel has a right to self-defense."
The FDP general secretary was more explicit. Bijan Djir-Sarai told the Tagesspiegel: "The Foreign Ministry's vote is disappointing and incomprehensible."
Germany's abstention from the UN vote had previously been criticized by the Central Council of Jews, among others. Germany should have rejected the resolution, said Central Council President Josef Schuster in the Tagesspiegel am Sonntag.
The UN General Assembly in New York on Friday called by a large majority for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip. At an emergency meeting, 193 of the 120 member states of the UN voted in favour of the resolution, 14 states voted against and 45 states abstained.
Scholz defends Germany's voting behaviour
The vote also revealed the differing attitudes of Western countries to Israel's actions after the Hamas attack in the Gaza Strip: while France voted in favor of the resolution, Germany, Italy and Britain abstained. Austria and the United States, on the other hand, voted against the text. It was sharply criticized by Israel, but Hamas welcomed its adoption.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) had declared after the vote that important points such as "a clear condemnation of all terrorist acts and at least a call for the release of the hostages" were contained in the text. Because the resolution does not clearly mention Hamas terror by name, does not demand the release of all hostages clearly enough, and does not reaffirm Israel's right to self-defense, we, along with many of our European partners, have decided not to vote in favor of the resolution in the end."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has defended Germany's abstention. "We have worked hard to reach a resolution that is "realistic," Scholz said in English in Abuja. Because this was not successful, they abstained. Scholz sharply criticizes the fact that Hamas came to power in the Gaza Strip with a coup d'état. What is needed today is humanitarian aid for the people in the Gaza Strip and the release of the hostages.
jok/AFP