Germany and Czech Republic affirm Israel’s right to protect itself against Iran

Over 200 Israeli Air Force jets launched a coordinated, preemptive strike early Friday, targeting dozens of locations in Iran, including military installations and nuclear facilities.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Heads of State in Germany and the Czech Republic affirmed Israel’s right to take steps to ensure its security following Israeli airstrikes that devastated Iran’s nuclear facilities and killed three high-ranking Iranian officers.

Although France expressed concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, its statement that Israel had the right to defend itself against “an attack” didn’t clarify whether or not Paris supported the strikes on Friday morning.

Over 200 Israeli Air Force jets launched a coordinated, preemptive strike early Friday, targeting dozens of locations in Iran—including military installations and nuclear facilities—as part of a precise and comprehensive offensive against Iran’s nuclear program.

Following the strikes, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed Israel’s “right to defend its existence and the security of its citizens” in a statement.

Merz also said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s security cabinet and promised to increase security at Jewish and Israel-affiliated sites in Germany.

Germany expressed concern over Iran’s nuclear weapons program and called on both sides to avoid escalating the conflict without blaming Israel.

“Just yesterday, the International Atomic Energy Agency, in a resolution introduced by Germany together with France and the United Kingdom, reiterated that Iran continues to fail to fulfill its obligations to disclose its work on enriching nuclear-capable material,” the statement continued.

“Iran has subsequently threatened to further accelerate uranium enrichment. This nuclear program violates the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and poses a serious threat to the entire region, especially to the State of Israel.”

After the strikes, France was more circumspect in its remarks, falling short of expressing full support for the strikes, but affirming Israel had the right to defend itself “against an attack.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot released a statement that said, “We call on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any escalation that could compromise regional stability.”

“We have repeatedly expressed our serious concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program, notably in the resolution recently adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We reaffirm Israel’s right to defend itself against any attack.”

The Czech Republic was more direct in its support for Israel’s military action; Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky told reporters in Prague that Israel’s strikes were a “reasonable reaction” to Iran’s growing nuclear threat.

“Iran is supporting so many players, including the Hezbollah and Hamas movements, with the intention to destroy the state of Israel, and also seeking a nuclear bomb,” he said.

“And I see that this was a reasonable reaction from the state of Israel towards a possible threat of a nuclear bomb,” he adds.

“I have a great deal of understanding for, let’s say, military action aimed at preventing the production of a nuclear bomb in the region,” Lipavsky continued.

“Iran has long failed to fulfill its obligations to the international community, is building up its nuclear program, and, at the same time, uses rhetoric aimed at destroying the state of Israel,” he added.

friedrich merzIran nuclear threatIsraeli airstrikeOperation Rising Lion