JVG No. 23 July 2018
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OPINION HEIKO MAAS CULTURE Nuclear Th reats Th e M i r a le c Villa Baltic USA: DIFFERENT POLICIES GERMAN-ISRAELI GRAND BUILDING WITH WITH IRAN & N. KOREA FRIENDSHIP A MOVING HISTORY Supplement Israel at 70 PAGE 2 SUPPLEMENT PAGE I PAGE 21 JEWISH VOICE FROM GERMANY PRICE € 3 | $ 4 VOL. 23 | JULY 2018 ירושלים MIDDLE EAST AND WORLD ECONOMY JERUSALEM LONGING FOR PEACE The Implications of Confl ict e live in interesting The Shiite mullah regime has been times. The middle of given access to its frozen overseas W this year will be remem- assets. Iran uses the funds to con- bered as a watershed moment in tinue pursuing its aggressive mea- history; May and June 2018 have sures to annihilate Israel – without marked a turning point in world violating the letter of agreement. politics in several respects. Ger- Israel and its moderate Arab many and Israel are particularly neighbor states such as Egypt, aff ected: the two countries should Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have draw the necessary conclusion and warned against the deal to no avail. seek closer collaboration. Iran’s later actions have confi rmed In May, the U.S. moved its em- the accuracy of those warnings. bassy to Jerusalem and recognized Tehran has stepped up its devel- the biblical city as opment pro- the capital of Is- gram for rock- rael. Germany and ets – rockets the EU are united that could be in rejecting this Germany and used as deliv- move. That same “ ery systems for month, the U.S. Israel should nuclear war- withdrew from the heads. Iran has nuclear deal with seek closer also become Iran, which had more deeply Yerushalayim is Hebrew for City of Peace. In Arabic, Al Quds, The Holy One. Also revered by been reached with collaboration involved in Christians. The metropolis is considered holy to three monotheistic religions. For thousands the five perma- the Syrian civ- of years, this city has been the site of war and bloodshed. It is time for Jerusalem to fi nd peace. nent members of the UN Security il war. Tehran’s military advisors Council plus Germany. The goal have gone on the off ensive and of the 2015 agreement was to put fi nally began launching attacks the brakes on Iran’s nuclear weap- on Israel from Syrian soil. At the INTERVIEW ons program. The agreement ad- same time, the Hezbollah terror- dresses only technical details and ist group and Hamas militia in Standing with Israel Jewish Voice Chorus is valid for a period of ten years. Lebanon and Gaza have been en- Germany stands The crucial political dimension – couraged to escalate their pursuits for Israel’s right to Iran’s professed goal of destroying against Israel. exist like no other Dear Readers, Israel’s politics. This is also Israel – has not been addressed. Upon its signing, Donald Trump country, says CDU the case for European Parlia- called the agreement with Iran General Secretary Jewish Voice from Germany ment Member Arne Lietz. the “worst deal ever”. Over Euro- Annegret Kramp- stands for diversity. This pub- We welcome criticism of FOREIGN AFFAIRS pean objections, he announced Karrenbauer in our lication is not a solo endeavor, the politics of the State of Is- Nati onal Nuclear Security Administrati on Nevada Site Office / Public Domain, JVG,AA, cc0 PublicJVG Domain, on Site Nevada onalNuclear Security Administrati Nati his opposition to the agreement. JVG interview. In the German de- but a chorus. It sings with a vari- rael – but not “Israelkritik”, During the election campaign, bate about politics in Israel, ma- ety of voices, from our editorial a form of criticism that calls he stated that he would also take ny overlook the threat that Israel offi ce to our freelancers, inter- into question Israel’s right to action against trade imbalances faces to its existence, notes the view partners, and politicians of exist. The existence of Israel is with other countries. With the Christian Democratic politician, various parties. When we cover also a topic of our discussion European Union European 2016, Peace on Our Doorstep exception of negotiations with who is regarded as a potential a topic of public regarding the EU as mediator in Middle East China, Trump’s endeavors in this successor to Chancellor Merkel. interest, we se- nuclear deal PAGE 5 respect have proved largely fruit- Kramp-Karrenbauer also says lect our authors with Iran less. Trump then backed out of a Germany must take on a greater not based on made by the HISTORY joint G7 communiqué on trade. By share of international responsibili- religious affi lia- permanent contrast, the U.S. President arrived ty, which will also require increas- tion, but based A forum for members of at an agreement with Kim Jong-un ing military spending. PAGE 4 on expertise. “ the UN Se- in Singapore regarding the cessa- Our supple- discussion curity Coun- tion of hostilities, and accepted the ment honoring cil plus Ger- North Korean dictator’s pledge to SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION the 70th anni- many. We all disarm his nuclear arsenal. Partners in Excellence versary of Israel opens with agree on the goal – Iran should Reparations The U.S. President is not a tra- an article by German For- be prevented from obtaining Adenauer-Goldmann Agreement ditional statesman or diplomat, From 1959 on, research col- eign Minister Heiko Maas. nuclear weapons. But I believe SUPPLEMENT PAGE II but simply engaging in Trump- laboration has smoothed the The Jewish state is dear to his this is only possible if Tehran bashing is not a viable political path for diplomatic relations heart: “I see it as a personal acknowledges the right to ex- RELIGION course. Instead, we must seek out between Germany and Israel. duty to ensure that Germa- istence of all states, including common ground. This includes a Over the years, the cooperation ny defends Israel’s existence Israel. We see ourselves as a global commitment against tariff s, has grown continuously. For and security.” In our inter- forum for the discussion of a which is necessary to avert a trade the Hebrew University of Jeru- view, CDU General Secretary wide variety of views not ex- war under which the entire world salem, Germany is now its most Annegret Kramp-Karrenbau- clusively on Jewish matters. would suff er. Europe should also significant research partner in er emphasizes her sense of pressure Tehran to abandon its Europe, second worldwide only responsibility towards Jews Best regards, Pioneering Women policy of aggression toward Israel. to the U.S. Now, the two part- in Germany and the State of Rafael Seligmann New cantor invested in Berlin War is looming on the horizon. ners embark on new challenges, Israel. At the same time, she PAGE 24 “May you live in interesting times” from cyber security to deep space expresses criticism regarding Tobias Barniske, Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-P092350 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 / htt ps://creati vecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en, vecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en, ps://creati 3.0 / htt B 145 Bild-P092350 / CC-BY-SA Bundesarchiv, Barniske, Tobias is not a blessing – it is a curse. ■ radiation. SUPPLEMENT PAGE VII 2 | OPINION JEWISH VOICE FROM GERMANY | JULY 2018 NUCLEAR DEAL REVISITED Iran Must Accept Peace and Israel’s Right to Exist Breaking up Tehran’s two-pronged strategy By Rafael Seligmann as the Shiite vanguard in the battle for supremacy over the he advocates of a policy Sunni majority in the Islamic of peace at any cost are world. Above all, however, T claiming the result of the Tehran aims to wipe the “Zi- summit meeting between Presi- onist cancer” of Israel off the dent Donald Trump and North map. The two strategic goals Korean dictator Kim Jong-un are linked. By threatening the supports their position. They Jewish state and purporting point out that Kim has agreed to spearhead the fi ght against to halt nuclear weapons produc- Israel, Tehran seeks to attain tion. President Trump is boast- hegemony in the ummah of ing that it was his hardline ap- the Islamic world. Tehran insisted on maintain- funds to intensify its political bin Salman, who is prepared to proach that convinced Kim to Over the past few decades, it ing its political and religious tra- and military activities in the reach a settlement with Israel, is cease his nuclear threats and has become clear that Tehran’s jectory. And the western states, Arab world. Tehran gained not willing to allow his country to perhaps even agree to dismantle activities would eventually re- including Germany – whose dominant infl uence in Iraq. In be needled and attacked by Iran. his nuclear weapons program. sult in the development and Chancellor, Angela Merkel, de- Lebanon, the Hezbollah militia, Riyadh and the UAE are defend- Others see the agreement be- construction of nuclear weap- scribed Israel’s security as part which receive political and mili- ing themselves against Iran’s at- tween Trump and Kim as con- ons. The world powers then em- of the German state’s raison tary support from Iran, gained tacks. Israel is responding to Iran’s vincing evidence in support of barked on a program of contain- d’être in a 2008 address before power, as did the Sunni Hamas attacks from Syrian soil with mas- the nuclear deal between Iran ment. By promising to release up the Knesset – acceded to Teh- group in Gaza. In the Syrian civil sive military strikes against Teh- and the permanent members to $100 bn in frozen assets and ran’s vehement demand.