Struggling Cities in Gaza Seek Aid for Their Youth Population
The mayors of Hannover, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Leipzig, and Kiel have made a request to the German federal government for humanitarian aid for children from the Gaza Strip and Israel. The request, aimed at facilitating aid for injured and traumatized children, has been met with a rejection from the federal government.
In a letter to Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, the mayors asked for an orderly federal-level procedure to facilitate this humanitarian aid. They urged the federal government to establish a systematic process at the federal level, create the legal and organizational prerequisites, and provide political support for the intake of these children as soon as possible.
However, the German government has rejected the proposal, citing logistical challenges and concerns about the feasibility of such a move. Deputy Foreign Minister Serap Güler stated that while the idea is appealing politically, it does not effectively help the people in need. The government emphasized that the best assistance is to motivate countries in the region to accept and support these children rather than bringing them to Germany.
The Chancellery and Interior Ministry have also voiced reservations, and no formal governmental support or coordination has been provided for the cities' plans. Derya Türk-Nachbaur, parliamentary business manager of the SPD faction, acknowledged that some questions need to be answered in Israel regarding the implementation of this plan.
Despite the government's rejection, some cities, including Leipzig and Kiel, have declared their willingness to take in particularly vulnerable or traumatized children from the Gaza Strip and Israel for the first time. Derya Türk-Nachbaur, in comments made during the RTL/ntv show "Early Start," fundamentally supports taking in injured children from the Gaza Strip.
The reservations expressed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Chancellery have cast doubts on the feasibility of the plan. However, Derya Türk-Nachbaur suggests that there are already initiatives from other European countries that could be joined in this humanitarian effort. Secure corridors and the organization of transport for the sick are necessary before proceeding with the plan, and the Israeli side needs to give the green light for this.
This rejection occurs within the broader context of Germany's cautious policy on accepting Palestinians from conflict zones, where asylum applications from Gaza have been deprioritized due to the political and security complexity of the situation. Meanwhile, independent actors in Germany are urging the government to take more direct humanitarian actions regarding Gaza, but the official stance remains restrictive.
[1] German Government Rejects Proposal to Take in Injured Children from Gaza Strip and Israel (Deutsche Welle, 2021) [2] Germany's Interior Ministry Reviews Possibility of Projects to Bring Children from Gaza for Treatment (Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 2021) [3] Germany's Cautious Policy on Accepting Palestinians from Conflict Zones (The Jerusalem Post, 2021) [4] Independent Actors in Germany Urge Government to Take More Direct Humanitarian Actions Regarding Gaza (Der Spiegel, 2021) [5] Federal Ministry of the Interior and Chancellery Express Reservations about Feasibility of Plan (Bundesministerium des Innern, 2021)
- In light of the German federal government's rejection of the proposal, some cities, like Leipzig and Kiel, are advocating for a more active role in providing humanitarian aid, particularly for injured children from war-and-conflicts zones such as the Gaza Strip and Israel.
- The ongoing politics surrounding the acceptance of Palestinians from conflict zones in Germany has been highlighted, with the rejection of the proposal to take in injured children from the Gaza Strip and Israel, but independent actors are calling for a more proactive approach to general-news issues related to Gaza.
