2023-10-09 21:09:58
Chancellor Karl Nehammer has warned of a “major conflagration” in view of Hamas’ attacks on Israel. “In such a situation it is necessary that the region’s influential politicians actually exert influence on Hamas,” said Nehammer on Monday in Vienna. This requires the cooperation of many forces, said the Chancellor. In the afternoon there was also a joint declaration of solidarity addressed to Israel by the ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ, the Greens and NEOS.
“It is completely clear for Austria and for the European Union: Terror can never be justified,” the ÖVP head of government told media representatives in the Federal Chancellery. “Terror always brings suffering and misery to the people who are affected by it.” And further: “Our thoughts are now with the victims’ families, with those who miss their relatives, who have lost their relatives.” Nehammer recalled that women, children, families and young soldiers were “brutally murdered” or kidnapped as hostages by Hamas.
Israel can be sure that “we will always be at its side,” said Nehammer, underlining Austria’s official position. “We have a special responsibility because of our history and we will not abandon Israel now on this path, which is very bitter.” At the same time, everything will be done diplomatically “to find forces that will get Hamas to give in.” In this context, Nehammer also recalled that he would meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Tuesday. “Turkey is an important and strong country in this region, and the influence of the Turkish president is important.”
In his opinion, the fact that Austria has currently frozen payments from Austrian development cooperation to Palestinian organizations will not lead to radicalization there, said Nehammer in response to a journalist’s question. “Radicalization is already at a dramatic peak. That means now is a time that gives Israel the right to self-defense.” But this is a “fight against Hamas and not against the Palestinian population.” However, the development funds should not be “misdirected,” said the Chancellor. Otherwise they “could perhaps serve Hamas to continue its terror.”
Nehammer noted that there is currently support for Israel at diplomatic or humanitarian levels. “The international community is showing enormous unity and solidarity.” According to his own statements, Nehammer spoke on the phone on Monday with the Presidents of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Muhammad bin Zayid al-Nahyan. “It’s about forming a network here to offer a lot of help wherever help is needed.” Israel and, above all, the people there must feel that the European Union “has not forgotten them and will not forget them.”
In the afternoon, the Austrian parliamentary parties also published a joint statement that was signed by Nehammer as well as the party leaders of the SPÖ (Andreas Babler), FPÖ (Herbert Kickl) and the Greens (Werner Kogler) as well as the NEOS chairwoman Beate Meinl-Reisinger was. It said: “Our thoughts are with the people of Israel. The brutal attack by the terrorist organization Hamas on Israel must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Our democracy must be defensive and, due to its history here, has a particular responsibility to stand with Israel in the fight against this To stand side by side with terror. Our sympathy goes out to the victims and their families in these difficult hours. This terror cannot be justified by anything and must be stopped immediately. Across party lines and political views, we are united in our solidarity with the Israeli people and the State of Israel.”
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen commented on the letter on
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