German Jewish artist Biermann labels Gaza assault war crime

German Jewish singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann has sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and accused Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza. Speaking to German press ahead of his Frankfurt Book Fair appearance, the 90-year-old said the ongoing military assault constitutes a "war crime" while distinguishing it from genocide.

'War crime'

Biermann, who turns 90 next month and lost family members in the Holocaust, spoke to DPA ahead of his scheduled appearance at the literary event. "Ah, Netanyahu and his lemures!" he said, employing the term for the devil's helpers from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's "Faust." "What is happening now in the Gaza Strip is, of course, not genocide, but it is a war crime. No ifs, ands or buts," he added.

Antisemitism warning

Asked about rising antisemitism in Germany, Biermann said Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition bear significant responsibility for fueling hostility. "Unfortunately, this dynamic takes hold so effectively because the worst and most dangerous antisemites currently live in Israel and are in the process of transforming the country into a reactionary, brutal and oppressive state," he said. The artist noted that his hope for a democratic and humane Israel had vanished.

Frankfurt Book Fair

Biermann is scheduled to present excerpts from his diaries at the fair on Wednesday under the title "You extinguish the fire with gasoline." The reading will open a series of events marking his 90th birthday, according to DPA.