(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Monday (August 17): "I think targeted killings should be implemented in the Gaza Strip. 30 to 40 people should be eliminated every night, not only those who pose a direct threat. Some people there do not even deserve to live. They are not human beings."
Ben Gwire's remarks sparked outrage around the world. He is a hardline figure in Netanyahu's cabinet.
German Chancellor Mertz responded to the controversial Israeli politician's comments on Wednesday. A German government spokesman said in Berlin: "The chancellor severely condemned Minister Ben-Gweil's remarks that ignored human dignity and violated international law and considered them unacceptable."
Mertz is currently on leave. Speaking on behalf of the prime minister, the spokesman also criticized Israel's plans to accelerate settlement expansion in the West Bank and said Mertz was "highly concerned" by recent developments. He added that no further annexation actions must be taken: "As the occupying power, Israel must respect the dignity of Palestinians, protect their property and ensure the functioning of public administration functions and the delivery of humanitarian aid."
German Deputy Chancellor and Finance Minister Kline Bayer (SPD) already called for corresponding measures on Tuesday. He told Sat.1 television: "The German federal government must not accept these remarks." Klingbayer said that the issue of sanctions is being discussed at the European level. He also added that although Germany is united with the State of Israel, it must not remain silent because the Israeli official's statement "has completely exceeded the bottom line."
"Ben Gweil's remarks are outrageous and completely unacceptable," German Foreign Minister Waldfurt said during a visit to the Swiss capital Bern on Wednesday.
Jürgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, supported the EU's call for sanctions against Ben Gweil. He said in an interview with Politico: "The EU should sanction him to highlight the global nature of human dignity and human rights." He firmly believes that an Israeli cabinet without Ben Gvir will make the relationship between Europe and Israel closer again.
The opposition Green Party in the German Bundestag also called for tough measures. "I call on the German government to ban this person from entering the country and to impose similar sanctions at the European level," Green party chair Franziska Brantner told Politico.
The Green Party politician emphasized that Ben-Gweil had previously made appalling remarks inciting violence against Palestinians, and she called on Germany to follow other countries and impose sanctions. Left Party politician Lea Reisner called for a halt to all arms exports to Israel in an interview with Deutsche Radio.
The Central Council of German Jews also reacted to Ben-Gweil's call for mass murder of Palestinians: Josef Schuster, chairman of the Central Council, told the Catholic News Agency that his remarks were diametrically opposed to Jewish values and damaged Israel's reputation. "Itamar Ben-Gwir's behavior is deeply disgraceful and irresponsible," Schuster said. "It demonstrates the danger posed by the radical right."
Many countries, including Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands, have imposed entry bans on Ben-Gwell due to his racist, religious fundamentalist and ultra-nationalist views. On August 19, French Foreign Minister Barrow condemned Ben Gweil’s recent remarks about carrying out targeted killings in the Gaza Strip as “inhumane”.
The United Nations also harshly criticized the plan and Ben-Gweil's comments.
A spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Guterres said that Ben-Gwere's remarks were "shocking," "inhumane and dangerous," and "we firmly condemn them." He also said that Guterres was "deeply shocked by reports of new illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank" and that the plan would "pose a threat to the survival of the two-state solution."
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said, "In the face of the total destruction of Gaza, the continued attacks by Israeli settlers, and the forced displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank, senior Israeli officials have continued to justify and encourage further illegal mass killings of Palestinians. This exceeds the bottom line of human nature."
OHCHR also stated that the Israeli government must immediately and unequivocally condemn such incitement to violence, investigate incidents of incitement – particularly by senior government officials – and hold those responsible accountable. Third States must also take measures to fulfill their obligations to prevent and punish atrocity crimes.
