New reasons to think about my announced, but yet unpublished statement on German’s inability to find a balanced position regarding the recent Middle East conflict, seems to evolve around the finds – and final media attention – to the usage of cluster bombs in populated areas.
Human Rights Watch had already shortly after the beginning of the Middle East ceasefire reported about the usage of cluster bombs during the Israel – Lebanon War. Meanwhile The Guardian picked up on announcements that out of all especially the US investigates in this case – from their view for inappropriate use i.e. violation of their selling conditions to Israel. Not that I want to sound cynical, but slowly I wonder if there is ever anyone to be in the right position to accuse first.
Here in Germany the whole discussion is again directed towards the simplification that critisim of Israel is to be equated as anti-semitism – as Frankfurter Rundschau now reminds, when citing Wieczorek-Zeul‘s recent comments, concerning the usage of these weapons – relating to her earlier remark about the violation of international law – to be accused of anti-semitic remarks, when she had been addressing Israel’s actions as untolerable regarding international law. And as things always need to be outbalanced here, the same issue of FR (Frankfurter Rundschau) also publishes an essay which defines Israel’s existence as impossible without US support and Europe as too reluctant in finding its position …

I almost had skipped my draft of the formerly announced post, but think I have to reconsider again to publish my thoughts, as I find a too narrowing attitude in most of the essays I read here. A responsible acceptance of german guilt must grow that mature that it is able to critize and accept critizism without hiding behind the guilt factor nor being weighed down with the opposite worst case scenario … Otherwise I might start to believe these good friends of mine who describe a rigid black-and-white viewpoint, which is impossible to see shades of grey, as caracteristic of the german character.