Deutschland befindet sich in einer tiefen Isolation

Peter Vonnahme, a former judge at the Bavarian Administrative Court, has written a text for the NachDenkSeiten about the events in the Middle East. It is a critical examination and assessment of the situation by a contemporary trained in international law. A biographical note about the author can be found at the end of the text. Albrecht Müller. Gaza, International Law, and Germany’s National Interest Germany is deeply isolated by Peter Vonnahme Gaza lies in ruins. 10,000 dead so far (3,500 children). 40 percent of buildings destroyed. The end is not in sight. Half of Gaza’s population wanders in the south of the region, desperate, homeless, hopeless – in constant fear of a deadly military strike. Escaping from the open-air prison is impossible because Israel controls the borders. The escape route to Egypt is closed. There is a shortage of everything inside, drinking water, food, medicine, clinics, oil, and gasoline. Gaza is turning from a prison into a children’s cemetery. It is hell on earth. All appeals to spare the civilian population fall on deaf ears. Israel is no longer just waging war against Hamas, it is now a war against the civilian population of Gaza. Violation of international law It is difficult to classify and assess the events. The only consensus is that the brutal terrorist attacks by Hamas on October 7th are unjustifiable and must be punished. Therefore, Israel has the right to pursue the murderers. Israel also has the right to self-defense (Art. 51 para. 2 UN Charter). It may also do everything in its power to free the hostages held by Hamas. But one massacre does not justify the next. A state that defends itself against terrorists must not resort to terrorist means itself, otherwise it becomes a terrorist state itself. International law does not recognize a right to revenge. No matter how brutal and despicable the Hamas attacks on civilians may have been, they do not justify bombings and rocket attacks on the civilian population. Furthermore, international law prohibits the starvation of people. Interim conclusion: The blockade of Gaza by Israel is a violation of international law. In 2017, the UN came to the following conclusion in an investigation report: „Many of these measures violate international law because they affect the entire population of Gaza without regard to individual responsibility and thus amount to collective punishment.“ At a meeting of the Security Council on October 24th, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the Islamist Hamas attacks on Israel in the strongest terms. Then, with regard to the 56-year-long „crushing occupation“ by Israel, he said

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Deutschland steht tief im Abseits

Peter Vonnahme[*], ehemaliger Richter am Bayerischen Verwaltungsgerichtshof, hat für die NachDenkSeiten einen Text zum Geschehen in Nahost geschrieben. Es ist die kritische Betrachtung und Einordnung der Vorgänge durch einen im Völkerrecht geschulten Zeitgenossen. Eine biografische Notiz zum Autor finden Sie am Ende des Textes. Albrecht Müller. Gaza, Völkerrecht und Staatsraison Deutschland steht tief im Abseits von Peter Vonnahme Gaza liegt in Schutt und Asche. 10.000 Tote bisher (3.500 Kinder). 40 Prozent der Gebäude zerstört. Ende nicht absehbar. Die Hälfte der Bevölkerung Gazas irrt im Süden des Landstrichs umher, verzweifelt, heimatlos, hoffnungslos – in ständiger Angst vor einem todbringenden Militärschlag. Eine Flucht aus dem Freiluftgefängnis ist unmöglich, weil Israel die Grenzen überwacht. Das Schlupfloch nach Ägypten ist geschlossen. Im Innern herrscht

Details zu Deutschland steht tief im Abseits