Merkel eases Jews’ concerns on circumcision
26 Nov 2012 2:34 AM GMT
Angela Merkel sought to ease the concerns of Germany's Jews on Sunday over a disputed ruling against circumcision as she became the first chancellor to address the Jewish community's annual council meeting.
‘The respecting of religious ritual is a fundamental good,’ she told the annual gathering of the Central Council of Jews in Germany in the western city of Frankfurt. ‘I am delighted... that there is a lively Jewish community in Germany,’ added the chancellor.
In a ruling published in June, a court in the western city of Cologne judged the rite to be tantamount to grievous bodily harm, prompting international outrage and calls for more legal clarity.
The Cologne ruling united Jewish and Muslim groups in opposition and German diplomats admitted privately that it had proved ‘disastrous’ for Germany's international image, particularly in light of its Nazi past.
Merkel was reported to have cautioned that Germany risked becoming a ‘laughing stock’ if circumcision were banned in the country. Last month, Merkel's cabinet passed a draft law to permit circumcision and clarify the legal situation. She said she believed it to be a ‘balanced text’.
‘The respecting of religious ritual is a fundamental good,’ she told the annual gathering of the Central Council of Jews in Germany in the western city of Frankfurt. ‘I am delighted... that there is a lively Jewish community in Germany,’ added the chancellor.
In a ruling published in June, a court in the western city of Cologne judged the rite to be tantamount to grievous bodily harm, prompting international outrage and calls for more legal clarity.
The Cologne ruling united Jewish and Muslim groups in opposition and German diplomats admitted privately that it had proved ‘disastrous’ for Germany's international image, particularly in light of its Nazi past.
Merkel was reported to have cautioned that Germany risked becoming a ‘laughing stock’ if circumcision were banned in the country. Last month, Merkel's cabinet passed a draft law to permit circumcision and clarify the legal situation. She said she believed it to be a ‘balanced text’.
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