German chancellor says Israel’s actions in Gaza no longer justified
Friedrich Merz delivers Berlin’s strongest criticism yet of Netanyahu government, warning IDF campaign has ‘gone too far’
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that Israel’s conduct in Gaza “can no longer be justified” as a fight against Hamas, marking the strongest public criticism to date from a German leader since the start of the war.
Speaking in Berlin on Monday, Merz said: “To harm the civilian population in such a way as has increasingly been the case in recent days can no longer be justified by a fight against Hamas terrorism.”
He added: “Frankly, I can no longer understand the goal of what the Israeli army is doing in the Gaza Strip,” confirming he would speak directly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week.
The comments represent a significant shift in tone from Berlin, long considered one of Israel’s staunchest allies in Europe. They come amid mounting international pressure over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where local authorities say more than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since the 7 October Hamas massacre that left 1,200 Israelis dead and 250 taken hostage.
“Germany has a clear position: no expulsions of the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip, an end to hunger. And the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank belong to the Palestinians on the path to a two-state solution,” Merz said.
His foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, echoed the chancellor’s concerns during a press conference in Madrid with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares. “Nobody is saying that the current situation is acceptable and can be tolerated any longer. Not even Germany,” Wadephul said. He rejected a Spanish call for an arms embargo on Israel but called for urgent negotiations. “There must be no expulsion from the Gaza Strip. There must also be no policy of starvation,” he added.
Germany’s federal commissioner for Jewish life and antisemitism, Felix Klein, also warned that Berlin must more clearly define its support for Israel in light of the ongoing war.
In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Klein said Germany’s long-standing “reason of state” policy – which holds Israel’s security as integral to its national interest – remained essential. But, he added, “We must also make it clear that this does not justify everything.”
“Starving Palestinians and deliberately worsening the humanitarian situation have nothing to do with securing Israel’s right to exist,” he said. “The proportionality of this action may well be called into question.”
Several German MPs from the ruling Social Democratic Party have since called for a suspension of arms exports to Israel. Foreign affairs spokesperson Adis Ahmetovic told Stern Magazine: “German weapons must not be used to spread humanitarian disasters and to violate international law.”
While Germany did not join the UK, France and Canada in last week’s joint warning to Netanyahu’s government over aid restrictions and military escalation, the comments from Merz, Wadephul and Klein indicate growing discomfort within Berlin’s political establishment.
Despite this, Merz has previously insisted that Israel’s security remains fundamental to Germany’s identity. He also suggested he would support Netanyahu visiting Berlin, even amid an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
The developments come as European divisions over the Gaza war deepen, with Germany’s historically close ties to Israel now under new strain.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
