Germany's Merz vows to stand up against anti-Semitism

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday vowed to protect Jewish life in Germany, amid a rise in anti-Semitic attacks.

"Jewish life is part of Germany," the chancellor said ahead of a leadership meeting of his Christian Democrats (CDU) held on the campus of a Jewish educational centre in Berlin.

"Those who attack Jewish life in Germany attack our society and attack our democracy," Merz said. 

"Germany has a historical responsibility to protect this life," referring to the Holocaust. 

Merz said Jews in Germany were exposed to the highest level of threats in a long time, referring to an increase of anti-Semitic crime, including attacks and assaults.

The German leader was welcomed by Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, who described the occasion as a "day of hope" for the future of Jewish life in Germany. 

"Given the rise in anti-Semitism and the state of the world, it is by no means a given that we are standing here today," he said, hailing the decision by the CDU to hold an executive committee meeting on the premise of the Chabad campus as "a clear commitment and a sign of encouragement for Jewish life in Germany and for the whole world."