Germany’s chancellor and president on Sunday strongly denounced a rise in antisemitism in Germany in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, The Associated Press reported.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier made the comments at a rally in Berlin, where thousands gathered at a demonstration called to show opposition to antisemitism and support for Israel. People carried Israeli flags or posters with photos of some of the people reported to be missing or held by Hamas as hostages.
“It is unbearable that Jews are living in fear again today — in our country of all places,” said Steinmeier, according to AP. “Every single attack on Jews, on Jewish institutions is a disgrace for Germany. And every single attack fills me with shame and anger.”
Earlier, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was outraged by the antisemitic agitation spreading as the Gaza war rages, and warned at the inauguration of a new synagogue that the vow of “never again” must be unbreakable.
“I am deeply outraged by the way in which antisemitic hatred and inhuman agitation have been breaking out since that fateful October 7, on the internet, in social media around the world, and shamefully also here in Germany,” Scholz said. “Here in Germany, of all places.”
“That is why our ‘never again’ must be unbreakable,” Scholz said as he gathered with Jewish leaders at the Weill Synagogue, noting that the community has recently grown as it welcomed people from Ukraine.
“This synagogue here in the middle in Dessau says that Jewish life is and remains a part of Germany. It belongs here,” Scholz said, according to AP. “Germany will do everything to protect and strengthen Jewish life.”
The comments come days after a synagogue in the German capital of Berlin was firebombed as the city sees a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in the wake of the Hamas-Israel war.
Police confirmed that two firebombs were thrown at the synagogue by two assailants early on Wednesday morning. No one was injured in the incident, which occurred before 4:00 a.m. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
Police have increased security for Jewish institutions in Berlin and all over Germany in recent days.
Scholz is one of several world leaders who have visited Israel in a show of solidarity following the Hamas attack on October 7.
During his visit last week, Scholz met with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.