Merkel explains 'tough' asylum policies to crying Palestinian girl

Yahoo – AFP, 16 July 2015

German Chancellor Angela Merkel comforting a a crying Palestinian girl

 threatened with deportation on July 15, 2015 in Rostock, northern Germany

(AFP Photo/Steffen Kugler)

Berlin (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel faced a social media storm Thursday after the release of a video showing her awkward interaction with a crying Palestinian girl threatened with deportation.

In a week in which Germany has confronted international criticism for a hard line on debt-mired Greece, Merkel was hit with fresh accusations of coldness, just as others leapt to her defence.

Merkel was attending a public discussion with teenagers in the northern city of Rostock as part of a government-initiated series called "Living Well in Germany".

As seen in the video broadcast on public television, the Palestinian girl named Reem told Merkel that her family had been informed they would have to return to a camp in Lebanon imminently only to receive a last-minute temporary residence permit for Germany.

"I would like to go to university," Reem, who has spent four years seeking asylum in Germany, said in fluent German.

"It's really very hard to watch how other people can enjoy life and you yourself can't ... I don't know what my future will bring." Merkel expressed sympathy before defending her government's asylum policies.

"Politics can be tough," she said.

More than half the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon live across 12 refugee camps,

 all of which suffer from serious problems, including poverty, overcrowding, 

unemployment, poor housing conditions and lack of infrastructure (AFP Photo/

Joseph Eid)

"You are an extremely nice person but you also know that there are thousands and thousands of people in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon."

She added that Germany would be unable to shoulder the burden of all the people fleeing war and poverty who would like to move to Europe's top economy seeking a better life.

"We couldn't manage," she said.

The group discussion continued for a few minutes until Merkel noticed that Reem was crying.

"But you did great," the 60-year-old chancellor said, gingerly stroking Reem.

The moderator interjected: "I don't think, Madam Chancellor, that it's about doing great but rather about a very difficult situation."

"I know it's a difficult situation -- that's why I want to stroke her," Merkel fired back, adding that she had wanted to express to the girl, "that you indeed have it hard and that you described the situation of many, many people very well".

Merkel does not project the image of a glad-handing politician but after nearly 10 years in power, she still enjoys impressive popularity ratings of around 70 percent.

Merkel strokes

However the video drew a powerful backlash, with detractors saying the German leader lacked empathy.

#Merkelstreichelt (Merkel strokes) became the top trending hashtag on Twitter in Germany.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel played a leading role in negotiations on a

 bailout deal for debt-ridden Greece, earning her international criticism for taking a 

hard line (AFP Photo/Odd Andersen)

"If you have the problem that you find Merkel too likeable, watch this video and pay attention to the end," blogger Sascha Lobo said.

"This week has been fantastic for German public diplomacy. All that was missing was Merkel making refugee children cry," Belarusian-born writer Evgeny Morozov tweeted.

However Merkel also had defenders.

"She was honest and certainly not cold," prominent leftist journalist Ines Pohl said.

Pohl said it would have been crueler to make false promises to the girl or evade her question, and noted that until a majority of Germans begin to back far more liberal asylum policies, Merkel's hands were tied.

Germany took in 200,000 asylum seekers last year and expects as many as 450,000 this year.

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The Evolution of Belief" - July 26, 2014 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) ( >26 Min - reference to the current conflicts in the Middle East)

"THE BRIDGE OF SWORDS"– Sep  29, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Text version)

“… What have we told you about the bridge? Actually, not much except that in crossing the bridge, the old energy ones were not going to like it. Old energy does not want you to escape! Old energy doesn't want you to cross the bridge because it can't cross. Did you know that? It can't cross. The old paradigms of Human nature that you've known all of these millenniums have to stay on the old side of the bridge. It cannot cross, for the bridge rejects all that is not in love, compassion and light. Those things that are dark, including Human nature of the past, will not be able to go. But the ones I speak to right now are already on the bridge. That was your design, old soul, and those are the words that are ringing in your ears to this day and the ones given at the wind of birth, that this might happen in your lifetime. So what's going to happen next?

Swords

Let us talk about the swords: When you hear the word sword, the first thing that occurs to you is battle. The Bridge of Swords is a battle and we told you that as well. Swords are metaphoric and they mean many things, so let us describe the things we mean them to say to you.

Number one: They are indeed a weapon in a battle. There is a battle coming. "Kryon, does that mean there's going to be a war?" Potentially, yes. Right now we will tell you that the Middle East cooks itself. You've noticed, haven't you? What do you know about the Middle East, dear one? Let's start examining things for a moment. What energy did you grow up in? What was the energy of the Middle East? In the '40s, what was the energy? With the establishment of the state of Israel, you built a wall of hate, both sides. The wall was so thick that the children of both sides were taught to hate one another as soon as they were able to understand the language. They were told who their enemies were. Now, where were you then?

Some of you weren't here yet. By the time you arrived, in your youth, were you aware of the Middle East? Not particularly. "What's the hatred about?" you might ask. What if I told you it's about a family feud? Two sons of a Jewish master are involved. One founded the Arabs and one remained a Jew. They don't want to hear this, but they are all Jews. (Don't tell them this.)

If you look at the lineage, it's pretty obvious and yet it's a complete and total set-up for either solution or war. The set-up would have this world ending in a conflagration that would have been brought about by this hatred. That's in the prophecy of Nostradamus and your scripture, but it is no longer the prophecy of the planet. Yet the hatred still exists. The hatred is as great today as it was then, but where was all the terrorism 40 years ago? It was isolated.

Those in Israel and Palestine and surrounding areas took the brunt of it, but now it's seemingly everywhere - and you're worried. Why would this be? The answer is that the old energy was happy to have this hatred contained, for it would keep it going and never involve outsiders. Outsiders tend to bring unwanted light to the party. Suddenly, the whole earth is involved and can see the entire scenario before them. The old guard wants war, just like all the eons before them. The ones on the bridge are holding the light and showing the earth how to cross. Even many younger ones in Israel and Palestine and Iran are holding light! It's all around the old guard and they are furious, for they are losing the "battle of hatred." …”