Vigorous words are not enough

Dear Chancellor Merz

The military attacks on the Gaza Strip and Israel’s widespread refusal to allow humanitarian aid into the area have now been going on for over 20 months.
  At least 50,000 people have been killed. According to medical experts, an unknown but enormous number of people have died from hunger, malnutrition, war-related illness or lack of medical treatment. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and many renowned international law experts now describe Israel’s actions as genocide, while other observers, such as the Israeli human rights group B’tselem, speak of ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
  In addition to these terrible terms, there is now also a new word that particularly concerns us as university members: scholasticide. Among other things, it means that since October 2023, no child in the Gaza Strip has attended school regularly, that over 10,000 schoolchildren and hundreds of their teachers have been killed, and that Israel’s attacks have destroyed all universities in the Gaza Strip. Irreplaceable archives, document collections and libraries were also affected.
  Against this backdrop, Western countries have voiced sharp criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war in recent weeks. You and the Federal Government you lead have also spoken out clearly on occasion – a development that we welcome and support.
  But as in the example of American President Joe Biden – who repeatedly set red lines for Israel, and which Israel disregarded each time without consequence – vigorous words are not enough.
  Israeli government officials, from Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Defence Minister Israel Katz to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have repeatedly made outrageous statements expressing an intent to violate international law along with the most basic principles of humanity.
  Unfortunately, the Israeli government’s actions show that this is not just heated rhetoric, but rather intentions that guide Israel’s military and political actions. We believe that the commendable clear statements made by the most powerful European states, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, must now be followed by action.
  Because of its great power, but also because of the dark periods in its past, Germany in particular has a responsibility here. Germany must make it clear that the magnificent and timely slogan “Never again is now” applies to everyone.
  We must take a stand against genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity, regardless of who commits these acts. Germany must therefore now advocate for:

• An immediate ceasefire.

• The immediate resumption of international aid deliveries to Gaza.

• The release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of most of the 10,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel and the occupied territories.

• The complete withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and a definitive end to hostilities.

• The reconstruction of the Gaza Strip without the displacement of Palestinians and with international assistance.

In fact, this was precisely what was stated in the agreement negotiated between Israel and Hamas in January 2025 with the mediation of the United States, which brought relief to all sides.
  Unfortunately, Israel unilaterally broke this agreement in March 2025, with disastrous consequences for prisoners on both sides, but above all for the civilian population in Gaza.
  Even after more than 20 months of devastating warfare, Israel continues to rely on violence, and this path of violence must finally be stopped.
  Fortunately, Germany has many legitimate non-military means at its disposal to achieve this, including:

• A clear language that defines all crimes as crimes, not only when they are committed by Hamas or other opponents, but also when they are committed by Israel.

• The unequivocal clarification that the Federal Republic of Germany’s commitment to Israel can never be a commitment to the crimes of the respective Israeli government.

• An immediate arms embargo against Israel, which, at least in theory, also applies retroactively to weapons that have already been delivered and are still in use.

• The revocation of economic (e.g., EU Association Agreement) and other privileges that Israel enjoys as a non-European state in Germany and Europe.

• Targeted but drastic economic sanctions as long as Israel continues to engage in what human rights organisations describe as ethnic cleansing and genocide.

Germany, the EU, Europe, and the US can do all this individually and collectively, joining forces with the frequently invoked international community.
  As the head of government, you and your colleagues in your government are surely aware of many other practical measures that can be taken.
  We urge you to make use of all these measures and to inform the democratic public about the results.

Teachers, university staff, students, and citizens
  call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Among the list of initial signatories is another list of signatories since then until 1 August 2025. Thank you to the 550 initial signatories as of 9 July 2025, including 185 university members.

Source: https://www.academia.edu/130200436/Offener_Brief_von_Lehrenden_Universitätsangestellten_Studierenden_und_Bürger_innen_an_Bundeskanzler_Merz

(Translation Current Concerns)