Anniversary of the Hamas attack: Commemoration of Hamas victims – speeches by Steinmeier and Scholz

On the anniversary of the attack on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas, the victims are remembered today in Berlin and other German cities. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will speak to those present at an interreligious service in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin-Charlottenburg.

Afterwards, participants want to go on a quiet memorial path to a nearby Jewish community center. Another memorial event will then take place in front of the building. Among those speaking there will be Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (SPD), Israel’s Ambassador Ron Prosor and the President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster. The names of the victims will be read out at a vigil at the Brandenburg Gate early this morning.

Scholz at the memorial ceremony in Hamburg

In Hamburg, a memorial ceremony is planned in the Hohe Weide synagogue in the evening, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also wants to make a statement here. The President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knobloch and Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), among others, are expected to attend a memorial event at the Ohel Jakob synagogue in Munich. Commemorative events are also planned in many other cities. People want to gather for pro-Palestinian rallies in several cities at the same time.

On October 7, 2023, terrorists from the radical Islamist Hamas and other groups killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped around 250 others as hostages in the Gaza Strip. This was the trigger for the Gaza war that continues to this day.

Thousands of people demonstrated over the weekend

Pro-Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrations have been taking place nationwide for days to mark the anniversary. The largest event took place on Sunday in Munich, where more than 8,000 people turned against anti-Semitism. Central Council President Schuster and Ambassador Prosor took part.

The largest pro-Palestinian demonstration took place in Berlin on Sunday with around 3,500 participants in Kreuzberg. It was ended early after stones and bottles were thrown at police officers. According to the police, 14 police officers were injured. The capital has been a focus of such demonstrations for a year, which have repeatedly led to riots.

Anti-Semitism Commissioner: Islamists are trivialized

After a year of war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas, the Federal Government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, complains that Islamists in Germany are increasingly being trivialized. “After October 7th the floodgates broke,” Klein told the “Rheinische Post” (Monday). The German discourse has become radicalized and hardened, especially at universities.

“You can see this in the fact that red Hamas triangles, which are target markers, are sprayed on buildings. Institutes were occupied and people were attacked who had nothing at all to do with the Middle East conflict,” explained Klein, referring to attacks against Jewish Germans and the Berlin Senator for Culture Joe Chialo. The CDU politician was recently harassed and insulted by pro-Palestinian activists and paint was spread on his house.

Klein also criticized the jubilation of migrant groups in Germany over Iran’s rocket attack on Israel. The representative also noted: “However, there is a certain numbness among the population in general when it comes to the issue of anti-Semitism. The visible solidarity shown with Israel is also decreasing.”