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Last update - 19:47 29/05/2008
Germany: Our responsibility for Holocaust commits us to Israel
By News Agencies
Tags: Germany, Israel, Holocaust 

Germany's foreign minister pledged on Thursday to stand up for the security of Israel and urged a tough line against Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, calling his denial of the Holocaust "unbearable."

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking at a parliamentary debate marking the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel, said Germany's responsibility toward Israel due to its role in the Nazi Holocaust meant it had to "take a stand against the Iranian president's talk time and again."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has faced international criticism for saying Israel should be "wiped off the map" and questioning whether the Nazi Holocaust, that killed 6 million Jews, actually took place.
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"His denial of the Holocaust is as unbearable as his questioning of Israel's right to exist," Steinmeier said. "There must be clear messages on that."

"The Shoah, the millionfold murder, the immeasurable pain Germans inflicted on Germans and other Europeans of Jewish faith is part of our history. Daily remembrance and daily dealing with the Shoah ... is, will and must be part of our future," Steinmeier added.

Steinmeier said relations between Germany and Israel would always be special, adding that defending the existence and the security of the state of Israel had to remain a constant feature of German foreign policy.

Germany has proven a staunch ally of Israel and often has stressed the
historical responsibility for the country, due to its own role in the Nazi Holocaust.

"From the responsibility for the past grows the commitment for the future," Steinmeier said in a speech in Berlin's restored Reichstag building. He also underlined Germany's desire to do more to help advance efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.

The minister is planning a four-day trip to Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories starting this weekend. The trip comes ahead of a June 24 conference in Berlin expected to focus on the Palestinian police and justice systems.

On Thursday Steinmeier said that beyond diplomatic efforts more concrete measures are needed to show people in the region that the path to peace is worth it.

Chancellor Angela Merkel attended Thursday's debate, but did not address the legislature.

In March, Merkel visited Israel and became the first German head of government to address the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, saying that Germans are filled with shame over the Holocaust.

During that visit - part of official celebrations of the May 8 anniversary - Israeli and German Cabinet ministers held a historic joint session and approved a series of cooperative projects.

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      1.   While Germany should have a special 18:06  |  Che Vive 29/05/08
      2.   Sad: The Pals are as much a victim of the German holocaust 18:26  |  Euro 29/05/08
      3.   Che Vive - Great post, agree completely 18:27  |  American 29/05/08
      4.   Don`t fall for it 18:33  |  Dee 29/05/08
      5.   If so why don`t you move them to Germay for a better 18:36  |  US person 29/05/08
      6.   Commitment, Yes; Neighbor, Hell NO!! 18:58  |  Cool B 29/05/08
      7.   Everybody has a skeleton in the closet 19:03  |  Natallie Durson 29/05/08
      8.   Re: Everybody has a skeleton in the closet 19:12  |  DB 29/05/08
      9.   #2 - Euro 19:13  |  MichaelF 29/05/08
      10.   IS THIS WHAT YOU MEAN, MISTER? 19:13  |  indrajaya 29/05/08
      11.   I as a german must say 19:17  |  Helmuth 29/05/08
      12.   #4 Dee 19:23  |  MR 29/05/08
      13.   Responsibility for Jews is not responsibility for a Jewish state 19:30  |  Fritz T. 29/05/08
      14.   Hagee....Said....Hitler was God sent.. 19:34  |  Ali 29/05/08
      15.   Israel is not the result of the Holocaust 19:36  |  Phil 29/05/08
      16.   #2 19:37  |  wilhelm 29/05/08
      17.   German-Israel special relations 19:39  |  Witness 29/05/08
      18.   Welcome back...Nazi Jews... 19:46  |  Ali 29/05/08
      19.   A few facts 19:49  |  Jan 29/05/08
      20.   # 9 michaelf 20:07  |  Axel 29/05/08
      21.   Germany: Our responsibilty....... 20:10  |  Elias 29/05/08
      22.   #1 Che Vive 20:13  |  Sol 29/05/08
      23.   #21 elias 20:32  |  Axel 29/05/08
      24.   holocaust denial & israel`s right to exist 20:32  |  northern neighbor 29/05/08
      25.   Axel`s Convenient Omission #20 20:39  |  Che Guevara 29/05/08
      26.   GET REAL ON "PALESTINE" 20:46  |  TILDALU 29/05/08
      27.   # 25 che guevara jr. 20:48  |  Axel 29/05/08
      28.   # 26 tildalu 20:52  |  Axel 29/05/08
      29.   to Che from ghetto beach 21:01  |  TAZ 29/05/08
      30.   #1 Che Vive....in that case, based on your statement 21:23  |  Lynn 29/05/08
      31.   # 3 american....but that is exactly what you 21:25  |  Lynn 29/05/08
      32.   pathetic responses 21:26  |  Harvardian 29/05/08
      33.   # 4 Dee...your self respect 21:31  |  Lynn 29/05/08
      34.   Harvardian 21:37  |  northern neighbor 29/05/08
      35.   # 24 northern neighbor....which "respected historians" 21:41  |  Lynn 29/05/08
      36.   Poor Germany! 21:52  |  hollingsworth 29/05/08
      37.   MOVE GAZA TO GERMANY!!! 22:06  |  Adam 29/05/08
      38.   MichaelF - You need a real history lesson! 22:21  |  Euro 29/05/08
      39.   wilhelm - Wrong on many fronts 22:27  |  Euro 29/05/08
      40.   Sol - Yeah right 22:30  |  Euro 29/05/08
      41.   guilt trip... 22:32  |  bashar 29/05/08
      42.   # 32 harvardian 22:56  |  Axel 29/05/08
      43.   #27 Axel re Che Guevara 22:57  |  MR 29/05/08
      44.   #1 Che Vive 23:04  |  judith 29/05/08
      45.   ARAB LEADERS DO NOT WANT PEACE 23:07  |  TOBIA 29/05/08
      46.   # 17 witness 23:08  |  Axel 29/05/08
      47.   look, mr delivers his usual squawk ... 23:18  |  Axel 29/05/08
      48.   These Germans are so confused 23:21  |  Pssd Off American 29/05/08
      49.   no 2 sad 23:34  |  Anthony 29/05/08
      50.   70 years after the holocaust 23:59  |  Barbra 29/05/08
      51.   If Germany is so committed to Israel 00:02  |  Barbra 30/05/08
      52.   you think german government regrets holocaust? 00:13  |  sven 30/05/08
      53.   More reasons why Israel doesn`t belong to ME and Arabs do 00:15  |  Genuine Tosefta 30/05/08
      54.   MichaelF, excellent response to Euro, one more thing for Euro 00:18  |  jj 30/05/08
      55.   Germany should be accountable for the Palestinian holocaust too. 00:20  |  Jack 30/05/08
      56.   #21, Elias...idiotic rants from a loone!!! 00:24  |  DR 30/05/08
      57.   No connection between Pals and Holocaust 00:29  |  x-ray 30/05/08
      58.   Germany`s conscience for Israel; German greed trading with Iran 00:48  |  Realist 30/05/08
      59.   #36 MR, I agree 100% 00:56  |  JP 30/05/08
      60.   While Germany helps Iran with huge trade 00:57  |  Elly 30/05/08
      61.   The Continuing Holocaust Guilt Trip - Finkelstein Was Right 00:58  |  chet 30/05/08
      62.   Still Anti-Semites 01:00  |  Joe 30/05/08
      63.   germany should house all the jews 01:14  |  sa, i am 30/05/08
      64.   go west zionist..you want to be part of the west 01:16  |  sam i am 30/05/08
      65.   Indrajaya`s ignorance 01:27  |  Sam C 30/05/08
      66.   Durson has a lack of history 01:31  |  Sam C 30/05/08
      67.   Is Germany a Zionist Colony? 02:01  |  Dovy 30/05/08
      68.   Judith #37, there is truth in what you say, 02:20  |  Che Vive 30/05/08
      69.   # 39 Axel from Germany is right 02:32  |  17 30/05/08
      70.   Germany to pay forever.. 03:21  |  Edithann 30/05/08
      71.   # 41 the anonymous "17" (was 007 already occupied?) 03:28  |  Axel