Column by Ewald König

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At government press conferences in Berlin, there are occasionally moments that are difficult to bear. Following critical journalists' questions, the spokespersons of the federal government and federal ministries often have to hide in empty words because they either know nothing or are not allowed to say what they know. Sometimes a very important, absolutely justified question is dismissed with a dash of cynicism.

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That's what happened to me this week. Once again, the topic was Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. This time even right at the start of the press conference and not just towards the end after numerous domestic policy issues.

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Specifically, it was about the killing of journalists in the Gaza Strip. A very large number of journalists. According to UN figures, 240 died in the exercise of their profession at the hands of the Israeli military. Some were killed specifically, some were unlucky.

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In no other conflict or war to date has such a high number of victims with press cards been counted as in Gaza. This is not to say that the individual lives of journalists are worth more or less than those of paramedics and all other victims. But in their capacity as representatives of the public, as eyewitnesses and ears, and as chroniclers of history, the killing of journalists has a different quality.

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One of the most respected capital correspondents asked about the federal government's response to the recent shelling of the Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, which had once again killed several journalists. After all, the number of journalists killed is now a three-digit number, he added.

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The speakers' answers seem painfully helpless. “We have seen and taken note of these reports, and they fit into the overall picture that we have from the region, which actually only reinforces our very urgent call for this comprehensive ceasefire for Gaza. ”

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When asked whether Berlin had addressed the selection of targets to the Israeli government, regarding both the high number of victims and among journalists, the response was succinct: “The federal government is not involved in the selection of targets by the Israeli armed forces.” A cynical non-response from the government spokesperson, which he would not have let pass in his previous life as a correspondent for a major daily newspaper.

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All statements on the subject sound like empty platitudes. There are repeated calls for reporting from Gaza to be made possible. But it isn't. For journalists to be allowed access to Gaza. But they aren't. Israel does not allow reporters to enter Gaza, which is why the international community is dependent on local Palestinian journalists, who are naturally accused of bias. Or who are a reason for Israel and particularly zealous supporters of Israel to doubt the veracity of their reports.

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The statement that the events have not yet been investigated and confirmed in detail sounds equally clichéd. It is a standard response that is heard very often at government press conferences. What are journalists supposed to write for their readers and listeners? The spokespeople also quote the Chancellor, who says he trusts the Israeli government and army to thoroughly investigate the latest events. He wants to wait for the results before making a final judgement.

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The results of the investigation came quickly, too quickly, and were not entirely unexpected. The Israeli IDF quickly declared the investigation completed. The aim of their approach was a camera at Nasser Hospital. It was allegedly used to monitor IDF activities. It is asked whether switching off the camera justifies the IDF's action with many deaths. “We have taken note of this report,” said the Federal Foreign Office. At least with the addition that "in our understanding, this is not sufficient".

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This case is one of a whole series of incidents which have not been sufficiently clarified and which need to be clarified. “This is an absolutely unbearably high number of journalists killed,” said the Federal Foreign Office. “Journalists must never be legitimate targets of military action. ”

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But they are. German criticism of the actions of the Israeli government and the military obviously impresses no one. Neither in terms of the continuing suffering of the civilian population, nor the killing of journalists, nor the construction of settlements contrary to international law, nor the withheld humanitarian aid. The current Israeli government will rely on German “reason of state” and archive the German government's criticism. We will have to listen to the verbal contortions in government press conferences, with or without a dash of cynicism, for a while. They are not only cynical, but also an expression of an actually indefensible legal position (of international humanitarian law) which, contrary to its better knowledge, the Federal Government does not want to give up.