The planned airlift initiative for Gaza, recently announced by the German government in collaboration with Jordan, is unlikely to significantly alleviate the dire humanitarian situation within the region, according to the leader of the German Left party, Ines Schwerdtner.
Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” Schwerdtner characterized the effort as “more than anything a symbolic gesture”. She drew a comparison to the historical Berlin Airlift, during which 2.2 million West Berliners were supplied via air transport using 615 daily flights – a scale she stated is unachievable in the current context of Gaza.
Schwerdtner emphasized that a fundamental shift in approach is necessary to address the crisis. She argued that “Israel must finally allow unimpeded access for aid deliveries” to effectively end the looming famine in Gaza. She further asserted that the German government should exert pressure on Israel to enable this access, mirroring efforts to secure a ceasefire.
In addition to advocating for increased aid access, Schwerdtner called for a broader reassessment of Germany’s policy toward the region. Her demands include formal recognition of Palestine as a state, an immediate cessation of weapons deliveries to Israel, suspension of the Association Agreement and active engagement in facilitating an international peace conference. The current initiative, while welcomed, is seen as insufficient to address the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the enclosed Gaza Strip.
