Munich Jewish community head defends Israel against rising criticism

The president of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knobloch, does not share the growing criticism of Israel's lack of aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip.

"Once the hostages are free, we can talk about everything," the Holocaust survivor told dpa in Munich, in reference to the need for aid convoys in Gaza.

Her top concern is the fate of the Israeli hostages - "but this issue, which has caused the current situation, is unfortunately hardly on the agenda anymore in this country," she said.

Knobloch is a well-known Jewish leader in Germany, who has served as the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany and led the Munich and Upper Bavaria communities for 40 years.

Knobloch stated that she does not share the doubts recently voiced by conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz about Israel's actions.

"It is the terrorists who caused this unspeakable suffering and continue to prolong it to this day," she said.

Merz had previously stated that even in the fight against Palestinian Islamist Hamas terrorism, Israel's treatment of the Palestinian civilian population "increasingly in recent days" could not be justified.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul went further, announcing potential consequences. He told the Munich-based Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that he would review and possibly restrict German arms deliveries due to Israel's actions in Gaza.

Israel has come under rising worldwide criticism for what some governments and many human rights organizations say is a deliberate effort to use starvation as a tool of war.