German of the day: Alleingang

That means going it alone.

A major pillar of German international policy is to regularly stress how Germany will never again “go it alone.” German politicians then promptly demonstrate the importance of this strategy by going it alone once again.

Germany halts arms exports that Israel can use in Gaza – Germany is to suspend exports of weaponry that could be used in the Gaza Stripbecause of Israel’s plan to expand its operations there – the first time united Germany has acknowledged denying military support to its long-time ally.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s sudden about-turn on Friday followed mounting pressure from the public and his junior coalition partner over the manmade humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel has severely restricted supplies of food and water.

German of the day: Inszenierung

That means staging, enactment, orchestration.

This Gaza photographer stages Hamas propaganda – Emaciated children, desperate mothers, and people begging for food with empty pots: these photos from Gaza circulate around the world. They are moving millions of people and influencing politics worldwide.

However, research by the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper now calls these images into question: Are some of the pictures from Gaza deliberately staged—and part of a propaganda strategy by Hamas terrorists?

The hunger is (almost always) real – but the images are often not entirely so. For example, a widely circulated photo recently showed desperate people in front of a food distribution point on a truck. Opposite them: photographer Anas Zayed Fteiha, a freelance “journalist” working on behalf of the Turkish news agency Anadolu.

Possible problem: The scene, also captured by other photographers, shows mainly adult men waiting for food—and getting it.

And how do the majority of Israelis feel about Germany?

Something tells me it will be a negative too.

Majority of Germans now hold negative view of Israel : Survey – Israel’s military actions in Gaza and regional aggression have dramatically shifted public opinion: 57% now hold a negative view of the country, while 37% consider Israel a major threat to world peace.

Democracies and Death Cults

Looks like the death cults win.

Douglas Murray has been blacklisted in Berlin – as a British writer living in Berlin, I recently attempted something that now passes for quietly provocative: I tried to buy a book. Not just any book, but On Democracies and Death Cults, the latest from Douglas Murray.

That awful Trump is deporting people just for their political views!

This is scandalous or something.

Berlin seeks to deport EU citizens over pro-Palestinian protests – Irish, Polish and US activists appeal rulings based on events at university sit-in against Israeli offensive in Gaza.

Berlin immigration authorities have ordered three EU citizens and an American to leave Germany over accusations of antisemitism and support for terrorism after they protested against Israel’s offensive in Gaza, according to a lawyer representing two of the quartet.

You mean the attack on October 7th?

I couldn’t agree more, Tilda.

Tilda Swinton decries ‘internationally enabled mass murder’ at Berlin film festival – Actor speaks out against ‘the unacceptable complacency of our greed-addicted governments’ as she picks up a Golden Bear award for lifetime achievement.

German of the day: Größenwahn

That means megalomania or having delusions of grandeur.

Also see Lachnummer. That means being a joke or a laughing stock.

Annalena Baerbock: Russia wanted to prevent me from becoming chancellor – German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wants to thwart the US Gaza plans. Talks with partners are underway, she said on “Maischberger” – and emphasized her claim to power within the Greens.

German of the day: „Riviera des Nahen Ostens“

That means “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Book early or something.

Das Kernzitat lautet: “Die USA werden den Gazastreifen übernehmen, und wir werden dort ganze Arbeit leisten.“ Im englischen Original: „The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.“ Zudem sagte er: „Wir werden ihn besitzen.“

The core quote is: “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.” In the original English: “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.” He also said: “We will own it.”

German of the day: Handspiel

That means handling the ball (in football/soccer).

Although in this case it was more like handling the knife.

Jewish youth football team ‘attacked by knife-wielding pro-Palestinian mob in Berlin’ – Police protection for teens who say they were ‘hunted down’ by a gang of Arab youngsters.

A Jewish youth football team has been put under police protection after it said it was attacked by a pro-Palestinian mob armed with sticks and knives during a match in Berlin.

Teenagers from Makkabi Berlin’s youth side say they were “hunted down” by a gang of Arab youths after a game against local rivals last week.

The game was played in Neukölln, a neighbourhood known for its large Arab and Turkish population.