Former German UN Ambassador Christoph Heusgen has strongly criticized the Israeli government’s bombing campaign in Gaza and the lack of aid deliveries. “There is no doubt about it, these are war crimes” he said in an ARD “Interview of the Week.” He also criticized the fact that aid goods have not been allowed into the Gaza Strip for ten weeks. “This is being done intentionally by the Israeli government. This is a violation of international law, a violation of the Geneva Convention and a war crime. There is no room for ambiguity.” Heusgen described the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, as “completely unacceptable” but also criticized the fact that over 50,000 or 55,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in response. For diplomat Heusgen, Israeli security is a matter of German state interest. He negotiated with then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and has many friends in Israel. However, he accuses current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using all means to stay in power. Heusgen sees a critical Germany visit by Netanyahu, given an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. He believes that the rules of the ICC, supported by Germany, are clear and that Contracting States are obliged to arrest anyone with an arrest warrant. He praised the visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, along with Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk, to Kiev, calling it a strong signal. Heusgen fears that Putin may outmaneuver President Trump and believes that it is up to the Americans to recognize Putin’s maneuvering and put more pressure on him. Heusgen criticized the possibility of raising German defense spending to five percent of GDP, arguing that this is a matter for NATO to address. He called for more discussion on capabilities to deter and maintain peace in Europe.
Ex-UN Ambassador Blasts Israel’s Gaza Bombardments as ‘War Crimes’
