After Iran's attack on Israel, there is great concern. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil sees only one solution - and does not rule out further arms deliveries.
Stuttgart – Iran was the elephant in the room. The event “Open Micro – What moves young German Turks” on Monday evening (April 15) with SPD leader Lars Klingbeil and SPD Middle East expert Macit Karaahmetoğlu in Stuttgart was about social issues, integration issues and the gap between rich and poor. And at some point it was also about Iran's attack on Israel, which had only happened a day before.
In an interview with
IPPEN.MEDIA,
Klingbeil emphasizes: He and his party have a clear stance on the Middle East conflict. Meanwhile, he is worried about another phenomenon in his own country.
Iran attacked Israel directly. How great is the risk of a wildfire in the Middle East?
Iran has never before attacked Israel directly. Even with the support of Arab states, this attack on Israel was almost completely repelled. Now we have to prevent a wildfire from breaking out. It is true that the US government, but also Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have warned all sides to be prudent now.
Weapons deliveries to Israel not excluded – “within the framework of international law”
Should Germany continue to supply weapons to Israel?
These questions are weighed up and decided by the Federal Security Council. The last few days in particular have shown that Israel must be able to defend itself. We must always ensure that all arms deliveries that we make as a Federal Republic are used within the framework of international law. That is the benchmark. And the Federal Security Council will decide based on this standard.
What exactly does that mean?
We stand firmly on Israel's side. There is no legitimacy whatsoever to attack Israel. But of course we also clearly expect Israel to respond appropriately and for all sides to ensure that this conflict does not escalate further.
How could the conflict be resolved in the long term?
A two-state solution is the only political solution that can bring peace to the region. This is the only way this conflict can be ended sustainably. The first step must be to release the Israeli hostages and ensure that humanitarian aid finally reaches Gaza.
Before the European elections: Klingbeil warns against populist debates
In 2019 we spoke to each other shortly before a European election. The AfD was at eleven percent. They said at the time that the government was partly to blame because many were dissatisfied with it. Today the AfD is polling at 19 percent. What conclusion do you draw?
What was true in 2019 applies today: we as a government have to do our job better, take care of the essentials so that life remains affordable for people. And we have to argue less. This is the remedy for dissatisfaction. We lost trust, especially in the dispute over the heating law. A lot has happened since 2019 and the uncertainties have grown massively. The pandemic, the wars, the polarization. The rise of populist and extreme forces is a Europe-wide phenomenon. But it must be made clear to everyone that voting for a right-wing extremist party is not a solution to the challenges.
The latest crime statistics have caused a stir. Also because foreign crime has risen sharply. There were calls from several sides for an upper limit on migration, and the term “uncontrolled immigration” was repeatedly mentioned in the debate. What do you think?
We take this report on crime trends very seriously. But I don't believe in buzzword debates. We want immigration in this country and it is our job as a state to organize the whole thing. This applies to all of Europe, and with the recently passed EU asylum reform we have taken a big and important step. But it is a mistake to use such crime statistics to create sentiment against people who come to Germany for reasons that I can understand. People who have fled war and displacement. You also have to ask yourself how such a populist debate is received by people who have lived here for many decades and who helped build this country. We have to ensure security, but always pay attention to the tone and we as the SPD have committed ourselves not to choose this populist path.