Max Lucks, a Bundestagsabgeordneter from the Green Party, has called for a significant halt in the export of military goods to Israel. In an interview with the “taz” newspaper, Lucks stated, “In the coalition agreement, Black-Red has given the Israeli government a blank check for arms deliveries. This is wrong. A return to the restrictive course of the Ampel government would not be enough now. There would need to be an export stop, with only those goods being exempted that are crucial for the security of Israel, such as air defense against rockets from Iran.”
Lucks further emphasized the dire situation in Gaza, stating that the population is facing a “humanitarian catastrophe” due to the blockade and the announcement of a new Israeli military offensive. He called for increased political pressure from Germany to allow humanitarian aid to Gaza and to prevent the offensive from taking place.
Lucks criticized Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul of the CDU for praising an American-Israeli plan during his visit to Jerusalem, which proposes that a private foundation should bring humanitarian aid to Gaza in the future. He argued that Wadephul should have taken a clear stance on the issue and expressed that he cannot trust Netanyahu and his government.
Regarding the Israeli participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel on Saturday, Lucks rejected calls for a boycott. He stated that the singer Yuval Raphael is a symbol of democratic Israel and its freedom of art, which is feared by Netanyahu and his partly extremist government. Lucks argued that such calls to boycott Raphael are absurd and that it is in Israel’s interest to criticize its government without demonizing the entire country.
Overall, Lucks called for a more critical stance towards Israel’s policies in the Middle East and emphasized the need for a balanced approach that takes into account the human rights situation in the region. He called for a halt in arms exports to Israel, except for those goods that are crucial for Israel’s security and for increased political pressure to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. Lucks also criticized the Israeli government’s policies and called for a more critical approach towards them. However, he rejected calls for a boycott of the Israeli participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, emphasizing the importance of supporting democratic values and freedom of art in Israel.