Gaza Strip: Fisherman Appeals to Government
Following the call by former Federal President Heinz Fischer for Austria to take a stand against Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP), Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler (SPÖ), and Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) referred to the previous "clear stance." Austria will use its good contacts with Israel to urge compliance with international law, Meinl-Reisinger said on Wednesday in the foyer after the cabinet meeting.
Fischer: "I am very serious about this"
In an APA interview, Fischer emphasized that one should not "look away" from Israel any more than from Ukraine. He expressed "outrage at the way Prime Minister Netanyahu, with his so-called war cabinet (...) made up of right-wing extremists, government members flaunting their Zionism, is waging war against the population of the Gaza Strip," said Fischer. "I am very serious about this."
One must not "remain silent" about acts suspected of being war crimes, said the predecessor of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. "And therefore I also expect the Austrian government to follow these matters closely and then take a stand," he said, addressing the three-party coalition of ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS. The strongest motive for this is precisely that Netanyahu's actions "do not reduce but rather increase and strengthen anti-Semitism. And this must be stopped."
Government expressed itself
The federal government has already shown a clear stance here, emphasized Chancellor Stocker, Foreign Minister Meinl-Reisinger, and SPÖ Vice Chancellor Babler on the sidelines of the foyer after the cabinet meeting. It is not to be blamed on Israel for responding militarily to the Hamas massacre of the Israeli population on October 7, 2023, said Stocker. However, the Palestinian civilian population must not pay the price. The government is committed to the rule of law at all levels and to humanitarian aid for the civilian population.
Austria will continue to use its existing good contacts with Israel to urge compliance with international law on a bilateral basis, explained Meinl-Reisinger, who also expressed concern about Israel's plans for a permanent occupation of Gaza. "Both sides must return to the negotiating table, there must be a ceasefire and a complete release of the remaining hostages." Babler also emphasized that Austria clearly condemns the attack by Hamas, but at the same time advocates for a two-state solution. Measures such as forced relocations or the deliberate blocking of humanitarian supplies would not pave the way for a politically sustainable solution.
Van der Bellen informed the daily newspaper "Der Standard" (online edition) upon their request that he is "in regular and good communication with the federal government." "In the course of these discussions, foreign policy issues are also addressed. We ask for understanding that the presidential office does not comment publicly on this," said a spokesperson regarding Fischer's statements.
"Mr. Putin must not cross the border into a neighboring country with military force, and Israel must not simply push aside the border (...) and try to force hundreds of thousands of people to flee, after already between 40,000 and 50,000 people, including many women and children, have been killed," emphasized Fischer in the APA interview. Every single child "that dies or starves in the Gaza Strip or is otherwise permanently harmed is exactly one too many."
Fischer: "Appalling"
The events are "appalling" and "all the worse because we are very, very positively inclined towards the fight against anti-Semitism," said the long-time SPÖ politician. He also acknowledged the suffering that the Jewish people endured in the 20th century, as well as the Holocaust. "But none of this justifies treating people, women, and children the way it is happening there." Israel is not only disregarding human rights but also international law.
Fischer was reserved when asked whether Austria, in light of Israel's actions, should recognize the state of Palestine, as some EU partners have already done. "I am, of course, aware that Austria rightly acts very sensitively and carefully in its relations with Israel," he said. At the same time, he emphasized that as a young person, he was enthusiastic about the "pioneering achievements" in Israel and even worked for a few weeks in a kibbutz. He was also "good friends" with former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shimon Peres and other politicians and civilians in Israel. "But what is happening before our eyes, that cannot be," said Fischer.
(APA/Red)
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