War: “dirty work”: criticism of Merz quote about Iran

“This is the dirty work that Israel does for all”: Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) triggered criticism with statements about the Israeli attack on Iran – also at the coalition partner SPD. “This choice of words caused irritation in the SPD parliamentary group,” foreign politician Adis Ahmetović told the portal “Zdfhute.de”. Violent contradiction also came from Greens, Left and from the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance.

The Chancellor sees himself confirmed in the reactions. “This statement has mostly received approval,” said Merz in Berlin. There were only a few critical voices, he did not want to comment on that.

Merz ‘critics refer to a wording in a ZDF interview on the edge of the G7 summit in Canada. Moderator Diana Zimmermann used the word “dirty work” on her question, and Merz picked up: “Ms. Zimmermann, I am grateful for the term dirt work. This is the dirty work that Israel does for all. We are also affected by this regime. This Mullah regime has brought death and destruction over the world.” Merz also expressed “greatest respect” that the Israeli army or state leadership “had the courage to do that.”

SPD politician calls statement strange

SPD politician Ahmetović, spokesman for foreign policy of his parliamentary group, went at a distance: “The top goal in this highly sensitive situation is de-escalation. The tonality of the Federal Chancellor is not very useful at this point.” His SPD parliamentary group colleague Ralf Stegner told the “Spiegel”: “If the Chancellor says that Israel is doing the dirty work for us in Iran, this is more than strange.”

Greens see “ignorant comments”

The opposition expressed even more clearly. The rapporteur of the Green Group for the Middle East and Iran, Luise Amtsberg, criticized both the choice of words and the content of Merz ‘statement. She said: “Instead of cynical and ignorant comments by the Federal Chancellor, I expect the Federal Government to do everything in this tense situation to de -escalate.”

Green politician Anton Hofreiter told the broadcaster World TV: “I think the choice of words is clumsy.” In Iran, 80 to 90 percent of people are against Islamist regime – “and in the attacks of Israel to Iran, civilians also die”.

Left-wing parliamentary group leader Sören Pellmann criticized: “The fact that Chancellor Merz is now throwing international law overboard and in the devastating logic of a” right of the stronger “is a scandal and is damaged by Germany in the United Nations and also massive.”

Merz ‘statements are a cancellation of the rule of law and international norms. “Most of us should not yet be clear where it can end,” said Pellmann of the dpa.

AfD: “Pietary and harmful to Germany’s reputation”

The AfD called Merz ‘statement without pietary and harmful to Germany’s reputation “. “Active to contribute to the war is not in the interest of Germany and Europe,” said chairman Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. “Europe’s politicians have to protect their citizens from negative effects of the Middle East conflict such as migration movements or attacks and contribute diplomatically to find peace.”

BSW: “More double standards are not possible”

BSW boss Sahra Wagenknecht spoke of a derailment. Merz “legitimizes a war -contrary agency’s war of aggression, which hundreds of civilians in Iran have already fallen victim to,” said Wagenknecht. That is a break with the tradition of foreign policy moderation.

Stunned in the German-Iranian community

In the German-Iranian community, Merz triggered stems. “Mr. Merz, you are not affected by this regime at all. First of all, 80 million people in Iran who have had to live under the deadly oppression of this regime for 46 years,” wrote the journalist Gilda Sahebi on Instagram. The Israeli government does not do the “dirty work”, that would do the many people who resisted the rulers. “By the way, bombs are hailing these people.”