Germany's Qarisli visits Israel
Israel-Germany, Politics, 7/31/2002

The Israeli daily Haartez said on Tuesday that former member in the German Green's Party, Jamal Qarisli, of Syrian origin, who described the practices of the Israeli army as Nazi-like, is currently in Israel as a guest of honor in the Arab Democratic Party congress.

The paper added that Qarisli who will stay in Israel for one week, intends to hold meetings with Arab and Jewish human rights activists besides Palestinian officials including the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat.

Haartez quoted Qarisli as saying in an interview on Monday that he did not describe the Israeli people nor the Israeli government as Nazis, and that he only meant the practices of the army in the occupied territories.

On giving up his membership in Greens party in Germany, Qarisli explained he was disappointed because of the support of the said party, which is presumed to be Leftist, given to the policies of the Rightist government in Israel, which means that the party has changed the principles on which it was built.

Qarisli stressed he considers the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and his foreign minister Shimon Peres as war criminals, and it is shame that Peres is still keeping the Noble Peace Prize. He denounced the campaign launched against him by the "Zionist Lobby with the aim to destroy him politically."

Qarisli said he does not reject the existence of Israel , but in order that the Jews to live in peace they have to offer the Palestinians the right to establish their own independent state, stressing that he is a man of peace and apart from being hostile to Semitism.

The politician, who is of a Syrian origin and immigrated to Germany during the 1980s described his visit to Israel as constituting a challenge for those who desire to put an end to his political life. N.

Previous Stories:
  Fischer visits Israel   (5/30/2002)
  Germany: Qarisli resigns from the liberal party   (5/23/2002)
  Parliamentarian of Syrian origin provokes party crisis in Germany   (5/10/2002)
  Germany suspends military equipment sales to Israel   (4/15/2002)

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