This’ll add to the conspiracy theorists’ fever dreams:
Bush, speaking to a dinner audience of 2,500 marking the centennial of the American Jewish Committee, starkly reiterated America’s strong support for Israel as a bastion for freedom and democracy in the Middle East.
“America’s commitment to Israel’s security is strong, enduring and unshakable,” the president declared, to enthusiastic applause.
[…] In introducing Merkel, Bush noted that she grew up in East Germany during the Cold War and “understands what it means to live in a free society. She understands the power of liberty.”
Merkel, to warm applause, recalled the horror of the Holocaust and pledged that Germany would not falter in its support of Israel.
“The right of existence of the state of Israel must never be questioned,” Merkel declared.
She also denounced Iranian threats against Israel.
“It is intolerable for any German government when the Iranian president questions the right of Israel’s existence,” she said.
It remains to be seen whether Angela Merkel will allow Iran’s president to attend the World Cup match in Germany. But she is saying the right things:
She urged the new Palestinian government led by Hamas to “reject violence and acknowledge without ambiguity Israel’s right to exist.”
“The decision lies with Hamas,” Merkel said. “And it will have to answer to the Palestinian people for its policies.”
Merkel was the first German chancellor to address the Jewish body which was founded in 1906 by American Jews concerned about the repression of Jews in Russia.
It is something to think about: Nearly 70 years ago, Merkel’s parents lived in a nation that was rounding up its Jewish population in preparation to murder them all. Today, she is the chancellor of Germany, defending the Jewish state, and standing with the nation that defeated her in WWII.
I wonder if maybe, some day, someone will be writing about the turnaround of the Arab and Muslim nations toward Israel. The cynic in me says no. But a tiny voice says maybe.
Great thinking on this post. What is currently happening with German boggles my mind. Could others follow suit? I’m almost to afraid to hope…
Germany doesn’t define itself in opposition to Judaism or to America.
If you want to look for bases for optimism, I’d start with the post-war evolution of the Catholic Church vis-a-vis Judaism and, more recently, Israel.
Still, Islam is a harder case. Christian scripture teaches that Jews misunderstand our scriptures; the Qur’an teaches that Jews have corrupted our scriptures and thereby defy G-d by following them.
Germans workin’ on their karma…
Meryl, you somehow make it sound as if it took Germany 70 years to turn around and defend Israel.
The last two German presidents spoke in German in the Knesset. We sell submarines to Israel for a third of the price. The submarines have then been equipped with nukes to deterr Iran.
No, I just pointed out what was happening 70 years ago. I don’t see how that makes it sound like it took Germany 70 years to turn around.