News - Middle East: German officials have conducted a raid on the residence of notable author and politician Jurgen Todenhoefer, confiscating his phones and computers following his criticism of the Israeli regime's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on social media.

Todenhoefer, who is also at the helm of the People's Justice Party, stated on Friday that the Munich police initiated criminal proceedings against him following a social media post, where he condemned Netanyahu and drew parallels between Israeli genocide in Gaza and Nazi atrocities.

“A German court is now taking action against me because I harshly criticized Netanyahu and Scholz,” Todenhoefer said in a statement posted on social media, referring to former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “This is a frontal attack on freedom of expression,” he said.

Despite the possibility of facing criminal charges, Todenhoefer pledged to persist in voicing his opinions.

He said authorities seem to be making efforts to stifle his criticism of Netanyahu; however, he maintained that he will continue to publicly denounce the illegal actions of the Israeli regime towards the Palestinian people.

Todenhoefer also dismissed accusations of anti-Semitism or relativizing the Nazi genocide of Jews.

“I have repeatedly written that Jewish Germans are ‘an important and valuable part of our people,’” he said.

Todenhoefer noted that his works repeatedly point out that the Holocaust of World War II stands as the greatest crime in German history.

Regarding the possible repercussions of the inquiry into him, Todenhoefer adopted a defiant stance.

"If a prison sentence comes out of this investigation, it will be an honor for me to serve it. Because standing up for peace and freedom in Palestine is our duty,” he said.

Todenhoefer continued, “It cannot be that Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, is warmly invited to Germany by the chancellor, while his critics are threatened with prison, house searches, and confiscation.”

Critics argue that Germany's approach to foreign policy has been reflected in a domestic initiative aimed at suppressing pro-Palestinian voices.

In the past two years, officials have prohibited numerous rallies, called off cultural events and academic discussions, and refused visas to notable international speakers who are critical of Israel.

This comes amid rising criticism of the Israeli regime's war on Gaza among the German people. A recent YouGov survey conducted in September reveals that 62 percent of Germans view Israel’s war as “genocidal,” while only 17 percent disagree with that label.

The poll also shows that 67 percent of respondents now hold a negative or somewhat negative opinion of Israel.

Germany has been a staunch supporter of Israel for decades. Its lethal arms exports to the occupied territories have seen a tenfold increase after Israel launched its war on Gaza, making the country an active participant in the genocide in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Source: Press TV