Chancellor Merkel Pledges to Keep Circumcision Legal
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Chancellor Angela Merkel
Photo Credit: Meir Partush/FLASH90
After what German diplomats have described as a “disastrous” damage to Germany’s image abroad, especially in light of its Nazi past, it appears that Berlin has finally gotten the message.
(The JewishPress.com sent a petition with 12,000 signatures to the German Ambassador in Tel Aviv, declaring that “Germany has absolutely no moral or ethical right to pass any laws or make any statements regarding Brit Milah (circumcision) or on any other Jewish practice.”)
The German government on Friday pledged “quick action” to protect the right of Jews and Muslims to circumcise their boys, after a much protested court ruling to the contrary, AFP reports.
A spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters the Chancellor was “concerned” about the judgement passed by the Cologne court last month, which defined religious circumcision as a criminal act against the child.
“It is absolutely clear to the federal government that we want Jewish, we want Muslim religious life in Germany. Circumcisions carried out in a responsible way must not be subject to prosecution in this country,” the apokesman said, adding, “It is urgently necessary that we establish legal certainty. It is clear this cannot be put on the back burner. Freedom to practice religion is a cherished legal principle.”
According to AFP, the German justice ministry is considering three options for new draft legislation to protect circumcisions on religious grounds.
In an interview published Saturday in Die Welt, the leader of Merkel’s conservative parliamentary faction, Volker Kauder, called for a resolution on the right to ritual circumcision to be passed in the Bundestag next Thursday.
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I'm hoping this doesn't equally apply to female "circumcision" which is practiced by some Muslims. That should never be allowed by any civilized country, by any country at all, for that matter.
I'm hoping that both will no longer be allowed.
Ms. Broda–it shouldn't be called circumcision–it should be called what it truly is–female mutilation and sexual abuse!
Its basically only pathetic evil people who who would do such a thing!
FGM is not circumcision. To use the word circumcision with Female Genital Mutilation is dishonest and causes confusion and blurs the great distinction between male circumcision and female genital mutilation.
Both are crimes. It does not matter if you cut off "only" small labia all or "just" the foreskin. No one shall decide that except the person on its own. And children can not do that.
If they weren't such pathetic incompetent fools–they never would have done it!
Louise, I do not believe The Koran authorises female Circumcision and that it is a cultural practise rather than a religious one and that no freedom of religion act could ever support it.
Mr. Dregsler you have a right to your hopes and opinions but not at the expense of others freedoms I do not see how this could possibly affect you in the future and is therefore no impingement on your personal liberty.
YEAH…NO NAZIS IN GERMANY!