In June 2021 we again wrote to the minister and urgently called on him to do what he had already announced back in 2017: to put an end to the unacceptable practice of Kuwait Airways. Independently of our letter, the Bundestag adopted a weak and inadequate resolution on Kuwait Airways a few days later, according to which the airline is to continue to be denied extended landing rights for as long as it maintains its anti-Israel stance.Dear Federal Minister Scheuer,
in view of the anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents of recent weeks, we take the liberty of turning to you once again. At a whole series of anti-Israel demonstrations we have seen how the freedom of assembly that prevails here was used to sow hatred of Jews. A civil liberty was abused.
Now we turn to you once again in another case of the abuse of a freedom:
We ask you to terminate the air transport agreement with Kuwait before the end of the parliamentary term.
For Israelis are still not allowed to fly with Kuwait Airways. This anti-Israel and antisemitic policy must no longer be tolerated by the Federal Republic of Germany.
The discussion about Kuwait Airways’ anti-Israel carriage policy began four years ago. At the time, in 2017 and 2018, the Regional Court and the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt handed down judgements in favour of the airline, on the grounds that it was merely complying with Kuwaiti law.
Minister of State Michael Roth declared at the time that it was “incomprehensible” if a passenger in Germany could “not board an aircraft” because of his nationality. The fact that it is of all people the citizens of the only Jewish state who are affected speaks volumes. You had already taken a clear position back in 2018, for which we are grateful to you: “If the talks that have begun with the Kuwaiti side lead to no result, that will have negative consequences for this airline’s flight operations in Germany.”
We agree with you entirely. For it cannot be acceptable that the Emir’s “Israel boycott law” — and thus Kuwait’s antisemitic policy — is complied with in Germany. In this way the protection of a free and democratic societal culture falls by the wayside. The Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt has, incidentally, recognised the discrimination.
Not granting the Kuwaiti airline any additional landing rights has evidently not increased the pressure on its boss, the Emir, far enough, for the antisemitic policy has not been changed.
We are of the opinion that a clear signal against antisemitism and against the abuse of air traffic in our country must now be set in the field of air transport as well. While the courts have looked at practicability in connection with the Kuwaiti “Israel boycott law”, the federal government can and, in our conviction, should primarily take the moral aspect into account and, as a consequence, swiftly impose a landing ban on Kuwait Airlines in the Federal Republic of Germany. The one-year notice period for terminating the air transport agreement under Section 14 of the Aviation Act alone may give the emirate enough time to change its unacceptable practice and thus to avoid the consequences of the termination taking practical effect.
For good order’s sake, we point out that we reserve the right to publish this letter and any replies to it. Any direct contact details contained therein would be redacted.
Federal Minister Scheuer, we would like to thank you warmly for your commitment in this matter.
Yours sincerely
Elio Adler
– Chairman of the Board –
