German chancellor Scholz begins first Israel visit amid Ukraine war
Jerusalem, Mar 2 (EFE).- German chancellor Olaf Scholz kicked off his inaugural visit to Israel on Wednesday as the Russian invasion of Ukraine entered the seventh day.
Scholz visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, alongside Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, and laid a wreath at the Hall of Remembrance to the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany during World War II.
“The mass murder of the Jews was instigated by Germany,” he wrote in a message in the museum’s guestbook.
“It was planned and executed by Germans. Consequently, every German government bears permanent responsibility for the security of the state of Israel and the protection of Jewish life,” he added.
The main agenda topic during the German leader’s visit is expected to be the war in Ukraine.
Before Russia started the large-scale military attack on Ukraine, Scholz tried to defuse tensions with Russian president Vladimir Putin and urged “prudence” in possible sanctions against Russia, from which Germany gets half of its gas.
In turn and in light of the current Ukraine conflict, Scholz on Sunday announced a plan to sharply increase Germany’s defense spending, which he said will bring the country’s investments above 2% of gross domestic product.
Israel, meanwhile, has condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine. However, it does not intend to impose sanctions on Russia in order to maintain close relations with the Eurasian country.EFE
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