Germany's Merkel Slams Rocket Attacks From Gaza Strip, Expresses Solidarity With Israel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the continued rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip and expressed solidarity with Israel, the German government said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th May, 2021) German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the continued rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip and expressed solidarity with Israel, the German government said on Monday.

"The chancellor strongly condemned the ongoing rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza and reassured the prime minister of the German government's solidarity. She stressed Israel's right to self-defense against attacks. In light of the fact that many civilians were killed on both sides, the chancellor expressed hope that the hostilities would stop as soon as possible," the cabinet said.

Merkel added that the German government would continue to take decisive measures against the protests across the country that "incite hatred and anti-Semitism," the statement read.

In turn, Netanyahu's office also issued a statement, according to which the prime minister expressed gratitude to the German leader over her support of Israel's self-defense right.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu has had a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who confirmed her firm support for Israel's self-defense right. The prime minister thanked the chancellor for her government's moves against anti-Semitic entities in Germany, and stressed that Hamas is committing two war crimes simultaneously, including the launch of rockets among civilian population and the use of Gaza residents as human shields," Netanyahu's spokesman Ofir Gendelman wrote on Telegram.