Palestinian Lawyers Lodge Criminal Complaint Against Chancellor and Senior Politicians, Alleging Complicity in ‘Genocide’
![German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, holds a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to Tel Aviv [File: Maya Alleruzzo/Pool via Reuters]](https://globalnewsone.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/image-61.png)
In Berlin, Germany, a coalition of lawyers has lodged a criminal complaint with the German federal prosecutor, targeting high-ranking German officials, notably Chancellor Olaf Scholz, on charges of “aiding and abetting” the alleged genocide perpetrated by Israel in Gaza.
The complaint extends to various members of the nation’s Federal Security Council, responsible for shaping national security strategies and sanctioning arms trade, formally submitted on a Friday.
Alongside Scholz, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Economics Minister Robert Habeck, Finance Minister Christian Lindner, and other officials are implicated in the accusation.
Ragab emphasized, “As Palestinians in the diaspora, we refuse to passively witness the genocide unfolding against our families and our people. We are committed to utilizing every available means to address this injustice. Today, our goal is to hold the German government accountable for its involvement in the Gaza genocide.”
Backing the case, civil society organizations such as the European Legal Support Center, the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy, and the UK-based Law for Palestine issued a collective statement. They highlighted, “The German state has notably extended substantial political and material support to Israel in its aggression against the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian population.”
Alexander Gorski, a lawyer backing the case, recognized, “Considering the legal framework and the political dynamics in Germany, this case presents significant challenges.”
He emphasized to Al Jazeera, “However, we perceive it as our duty as legal professionals to take action. The global dissemination of the genocide’s evidence is undeniable. Yet, despite this, the Israeli government continues to garner support from other nations and receives weaponry.”
After the October 7 attacks by Hamas, during which 1,139 people were killed in southern Israel, the Israeli government retaliated with a military campaign in Gaza that has to date killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children.
