In yet another U-turn, the German CDU-led government appears to be following the lead of junior coalition partners SPD also in its Israel policy. Already last week, SPD politicians pushed for a more Israel-critical attitude and even called for an arms embargo.
“German weapons must not be used to spread humanitarian disasters and violate international law. Therefore, we call on Netanyahu’s government to be willing to agree to a ceasefire and return to the negotiating table,” Adis Ahmetovic, SPD, told Stern magazine.
“What the Israeli army is currently doing in the Gaza Strip—I honestly no longer understand what the objective is,” German chancellor Friedrich Merz said in an interview. “The extent to which the civilian population is being affected, increasingly so in recent days, can no longer be justified as part of a fight against Hamas terrorism.”
While pointing out he’s aware that Germany “must exercise more restraint” than any other country when it comes to advising Israel, Merz said,
when red lines are crossed, when international humanitarian law is clearly being violated, then Germany—then the German chancellor—must also speak out.
It’s the first time Merz has accused the Israeli army of violating international law. He said he wants Germany to continue being Israel’s “most important partner in Europe,” but added that the Israeli government “must not do anything that even its closest friends can no longer bring themselves to accept.”
With its new approach, the German government is aligning more closely with the increasingly critical stance on Israel taken by its European so-called friends. France and the United Kingdom, along with Canada, issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip and warning of potential “concrete measures” in response.
