BERLIN (JTA) — A majority of German politicians responding to a survey agreed that the president of Iran should face the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
On the eve of Sunday’s national elections in Germany, members of the main political parties responded to a questionnaire on the fight against anti-Semitism and policy on Iran, submitted last week by the Coordinating Council of German Non-Governmental Organizations Against Anti-Semitism and the German-Israeli Society Berlin-Potsdam.
Several respondents agreed that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should be brought before the International Court.
The organizations released the first results of the questionnaire on Sept. 24. The major parties issued formal statements, and 22 legislators responded personally.
Chancellor Angela Merkel in her response Sept. 22 thanked the Coordinating Council "for their important work in fighting Anti-Semitism" and noting that her party, the Christian Democratic Union, intended to remain vigilant against "all forms of anti-Semitism, particularly new forms of anti-Israeli anti-Semitism," according to a statement released by the council.
Both the Christian Democrats and their partner in the current governing coalition, the Social Democratic Party, said they favored harsher sanctions against Iran and its leadership.
Two-thirds of the respondents overall said they favored tougher sanctions. The rest were undecided, notably members of the Green Party and the Left Party.
Three-fourths of respondents favored a ban of Hezbollah activities in Germany and in Europe overall.
Two-thirds of respondents, across all parties, favored bringing representatives of the Iranian regime before the International Court.
