Hamburg (dpa) – In the aftermath of the large-scale attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Germany and France have assured Israel of their full support. “The assault by Hamas is dreadful and it is barbaric,” said Germany’s Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz during the first German-French cabinet retreat in Hamburg. “Terror will not win, hate will not be victorious, violence will not triumph,” he said, stressing that Germany and France stood resolutely at Israel’s side.
“I would like to again express my full and wholehearted solidarity with Israel,” said France’s President Emmanuel Macron. “The battle against terrorism is a joint responsibility, one which we will continue with Israel, our allies and our international partners. Nothing justifies it, nothing explains it.”
In terms of content, the German-French cabinet retreat is focusing on issues including the transformation of industry, artificial intelligence, European technological sovereignty, EU enlargement, and Africa policy. The meeting aims to deepen the partnership between Germany and France. Until now, joint cabinet meetings have taken place once or twice a year, but there has never been a two-day retreat like this. The plan is for similar meetings to take place every year from now on alternating between Germany and France.
Scholz and Macron stressed the importance of the German-French partnership. “It is clear to us that our two nations must work together,” said Macron. “I would even say that now more than ever we may have to be even more of a driving force for our two countries and for our Europe.”Federal Chancellor Scholz said, “It’s clear that we want a united, strong and sovereign Europe, a Europe which leads the world, including in terms of technology.”
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