Germany says won't reopen reparations agreement
German finance minister arrives in Israel on backdrop of demand to reopen 1952 deal in order to receive additional payments for Holocaust survivors. Survivors' representatives present minister with their economic, health and mental difficulties, leave meeting disappointed
Steinbrueck arrived in Israel on the backdrop of the demand to reopen the reparation agreements from 1952, in order to receive additional payments from Germany for the Holocaust survivors.
Steinbrueck's remarks contradicted those made by German government spokesman Thomas Steg, who said about a week ago that Germany was willing to discuss the possibility of making extra pension payments to Holocaust survivors if that is what the Israeli government wanted.
In the meeting, which lasted about an hour and a half, the survivors' representatives presented the many problems experienced by Shoah survivors both in Israel and abroad, including their economic, health and mental difficulties.
The German minister said in response that each concrete request for money should be discussed with the German Finance Ministry departments responsible for the issue as part of the Holocaust Claims Committee.
The Shoah survivors' representatives left the meeting disappointed.
"We did not get any real promise. I am unsatisfied and disappointed," said Noah Flug, chairman of the Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors.
According to Flug, "We did not ask for money, but we did discuss the German government's responsibility. The minister said that there would be more sensitivity and understanding, but nonetheless his answer was that they would not reopen the agreements. If there are specific problems, they will try and solve them."
'Wound can never be cured'
Zeev Factor, the chairman of the Holocaust Survivors' Welfare Fund, said at the end of the meeting that it was held in a pleasant atmosphere, but added that "I do not see any movement toward our needs. Its results are insignificant."
According to Factor, "The Germans did not want to commit to anything specific, although we presented all of the survivors' problems. I personally spoke about the needs of the sick and elderly who are in need of treatment 24 hours a day, and we have no financial means to provide the treatment."
Factor added that the Israeli government must intervene and resume its negotiations with the German government.
"The Israeli government knew how to intervene in the past and take the money. The Germans and the world should be reminded of the fact that what happened during the Holocaust in Europe was that the Germans killed a civilian population in cold blood, and this is a wound which can never be cured," he said.
