The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas condemned on Thursday biased press remarks made by German Foreign Minister on the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip.

We were shocked by the press remarks of German Foreign Minister Mr Heiko Mass regarding the current situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories, where he blindly and unlimitedly backed the Israeli aggression against our people. His remarks are fully rejected.

We invite the German Foreign Minister Mr Heiko Maas during his visit to the region, also to visit the Palestinian occupied territories including the Gaza Strip, to see closely the brutal Israeli aggression and atrocities against the Palestinians.

Unfortunately, Mr Maas is neglecting the very clear truth that the world has been watching every day for more than 73 years of occupation, as well as the suffering of Palestinians. Mr Maas unwavering and biased support for Netanyahu’s extremist government is giving the oppressor the green light to continue abusing innocent Palestinians.

Mr Maas showed no credibility in his position as a representative of German people and their history, as he has shown no interest in listening or carrying out balanced investigation into the situation on the ground in the Palestinian occupied territories. This comes in line with the Israeli policy to cover the truth by preventing diplomats, humanitarian missions and journalists from entering Gaza.

We invite Mr Maas to pay a visit to the Gaza Strip and see by his bare eyes the mass destruction and killing of innocent Palestinians (until now 230 Palestinians killed, including 65 children and 39 women) carried out by the Israeli forces. He is invited to listen directly to Palestinian children and women, talk to journalists and medical teams, who witnessed the brutality of Israel.

We remind Mr Maas that the Palestinians are defending the same human rights that Germany itself is defending. International law has explicitly guaranteed that any occupied people have the right to self-determination and to defend themselves from such occupation and continued aggression.

The sun is not covered with a sieve. The statements of Mr Maas will not change the reality that the Israeli occupation and its apartheid policies are the root cause of violence and instability in the region. Without recognising this reality, peace will never exist.

Dr Basem Naim

International Relations office - Hamas

Gaza – Palestine

Thursday 20 May 2021