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Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Germany threatens steps against Israel as tone shifts over Gaza
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz blasted Israel today in a rare rebuke over Gaza. (AP pic) TURKU : Germany's foreign minister threatened unspecified measures against Israel today and said Berlin would not export weapons used to break humanitarian law, as he and chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered their most severe rebuke yet over Gaza. Germany, along with the US, had long remained in support of Israel's conduct since the Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, even as Israel became increasingly isolated internationally. Its about-turn comes as the European Union is reviewing its Israel policy and Britain, France and Canada also threatened 'concrete actions' over Gaza. Speaking to broadcaster WDR, foreign minister Johann Wadephul warned Germany's historic support for Israel must not be instrumentalised, as massive air strikes and shortages of food and medicines had made the situation in Gaza 'unbearable'. Earlier, Merz criticised air strikes on Gaza as no longer justified by the need to fight Hamas and 'no longer comprehensible', in comments at a press conference in Finland. While not a complete rupture, the shift in tone is significant in a country whose leadership follows a policy of special responsibility for Israel, known as the Staatsraeson, due to the legacy of the Nazi Holocaust. It also reflects a broader shift in German public opinion. 'Our committed fight against antisemitism and our full support for the right to exist and the security of the state of Israel must not be instrumentalised for the conflict and the warfare currently being waged in the Gaza Strip,' Wadephul said. 'We are now at a point where we have to think very carefully about what further steps to take,' he said, without giving further details. 'Where we see dangers of harm, we will of course intervene and certainly not supply weapons so that there will be further harm,' he said, adding that no new weapons orders were currently under consideration. The shift in government stance comes after calls among the junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, to halt arms exports to Israel or else risk what the move's backers say would be German complicity in war crimes. Worsening hunger Attacks on Gaza killed dozens in recent days, and the population of more than 2 million faces worsening hunger and starvation, according to a UN-backed monitor. Efforts to revive a short-lived ceasefire that broke down in March have made little visible progress, although one regional diplomat said talks were still going on in Doha and there remained a chance for a deal. The German comments are particularly striking given that Merz won elections in February promising to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on German soil in defiance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC). 'The massive military strikes by the Israelis in the Gaza Strip no longer reveal any logic to me – how they serve the goal of confronting terror,' Merz said in Turku, Finland. He did not reply to a question about German weapons exports to Israel. Wadephul said arms deliveries were a matter for a security council presided over by Merz, whose meetings are confidential. The foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a further request for comment on whether Germany's next step could include halting weapons shipments. The chancellor is due to speak to Netanyahu this week. In his office, Merz has a picture of Zikim beach, where Hamas fighters arrived on boats during their rampage in 2023 that killed around 1,200 people – a picture he had hanging for years previously in his parliamentary office. Israel's ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, acknowledged German concerns today but made no commitments. 'When Friedrich Merz raises this criticism of Israel, we listen very carefully because he is a friend,' Prosor told the ZDF broadcaster. Merz's comments come on top of a groundswell of opposition to Israel's actions. A survey by Civey, published in the Tagesspiegel newspaper this week, showed 51% of Germans opposed weapons exports to Israel. More broadly, only 36% of people in Germany view Israel positively, a survey by the Bertelsmann Foundation found in May, down from 46% in the last survey in 2021. Only a quarter of Germans recognise a special responsibility towards the state of Israel, while 64% of Israelis believe Germany has a special obligation, the survey found.
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
Germany's leader has criticized Israel's conduct in Gaza. Here's why that's a big deal
For decades, Germany has stood squarely in Israel's corner, its dark history of Jewish persecution shaping its modern-day policy of virtually unquestioned backing. In the aftermath of the Hamas October 7, 2023, attacks, the question of German political and military support for Israel was raised – and reaffirmed by then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz. But comments by new Chancellor Friedrich Merz in recent days have put Germany's support for Israel under the spotlight. 'We are dismayed by the fate of the civilian population and the terrible suffering of the civilian population' in Gaza, the chancellor said on Tuesday while on a visit to Turku, Finland. The question of what provoked Merz's sharp change in tone toward Israel remains unclear. Peter Lintl, an analyst from the German Institute of International and Security Affairs who focuses on German-Israeli relations, believes Merz wanted to get into office, start conversations with Israeli leaders and get an understanding of the direction of travel before outlining his stance. 'The conclusion, that most of the countries in the world came to, it's a horrible war where the aim is not clear anymore,' Lintl told CNN. 'It is clearly a change in tone and change in positioning of the German government.' Merz followed his Tuesday comments by questioning the current actions of the Israel Defense Forces inside Gaza. Referring to Israel's expanded operations and the humanitarian crisis in the territory, the German chancellor said that he 'no longer sees any logic as to how they serve the goal of fighting terror and freeing the hostages. In this respect, I take a very, very critical view of what has happened in the last few days.' Tuesday's language came hot on the heels of a thinly veiled threat from Merz in Berlin on Monday. 'The Israeli government must not do anything that its best friends are no longer prepared to accept,' he said. Merz has also done the previously unthinkable and questioned whether Israel may be violating international law. The change of tone is particularly striking because of Germany's long-standing stance on Israel, that is connected to a theory known as 'staatsraison' or national interest. The connection of staatsraison and Israel were made by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2008. She told the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, that the 'historical responsibility of Germany is part of my country's national interest (staatsraison). This means that, for me as German chancellor, Israel's security is never negotiable.' Similar words were also used by Scholz in the wake of the October 7 attacks in which Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel and kidnapped some 250 others. Since Merkel's speech, and particularly after she stepped down as chancellor in 2021, 'the term got a life of its own,' the analyst Lintl says. 'It appeared that if you want to be a respected politician, you have to use the term because it came to signal … that Israel's security is German staatsraison. It is the minimum threshold we use to distance ourselves from the past,' Lintl says. That 'past' refers largely to the Holocaust in which the Nazis killed more than 6 million Jews. In Finland on Tuesday, Merz was quick to reiterate he is not abandoning staatsraison entirely. 'Israel's security and existence are, as we have been saying for many years and decades, part of our German staatsraison,' but he has clearly set out to clarify it. Lintl added: 'We didn't know how this government will conduct itself, or how this government policy toward Israel will look – right now we have more of an idea.' It remains unclear if Merz and Germany's relationship with Israel will shift significantly. Merz has maintained he will continue to talk with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Merz has also said he would find 'ways and means' for Israel's prime minister to visit Germany given the ICC (International Criminal Court) arrest warrant out for him. For now, the statements from Israel seem muted, and respectful. The Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor told German TV Tuesday morning, 'when somebody criticizes Israel, and when Friedrich Merz makes this criticism, we listen very carefully because he is a friend.' Inke Kappler contributed reporting.
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
Germany's leader has criticized Israel's conduct in Gaza. Here's why that's a big deal
For decades, Germany has stood squarely in Israel's corner, its dark history of Jewish persecution shaping its modern-day policy of virtually unquestioned backing. In the aftermath of the Hamas October 7, 2023, attacks, the question of German political and military support for Israel was raised – and reaffirmed by then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz. But comments by new Chancellor Friedrich Merz in recent days have put Germany's support for Israel under the spotlight. 'We are dismayed by the fate of the civilian population and the terrible suffering of the civilian population' in Gaza, the chancellor said on Tuesday while on a visit to Turku, Finland. The question of what provoked Merz's sharp change in tone toward Israel remains unclear. Peter Lintl, an analyst from the German Institute of International and Security Affairs who focuses on German-Israeli relations, believes Merz wanted to get into office, start conversations with Israeli leaders and get an understanding of the direction of travel before outlining his stance. 'The conclusion, that most of the countries in the world came to, it's a horrible war where the aim is not clear anymore,' Lintl told CNN. 'It is clearly a change in tone and change in positioning of the German government.' Merz followed his Tuesday comments by questioning the current actions of the Israel Defense Forces inside Gaza. Referring to Israel's expanded operations and the humanitarian crisis in the territory, the German chancellor said that he 'no longer sees any logic as to how they serve the goal of fighting terror and freeing the hostages. In this respect, I take a very, very critical view of what has happened in the last few days.' Tuesday's language came hot on the heels of a thinly veiled threat from Merz in Berlin on Monday. 'The Israeli government must not do anything that its best friends are no longer prepared to accept,' he said. Merz has also done the previously unthinkable and questioned whether Israel may be violating international law. The change of tone is particularly striking because of Germany's long-standing stance on Israel, that is connected to a theory known as 'staatsraison' or national interest. The connection of staatsraison and Israel were made by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2008. She told the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, that the 'historical responsibility of Germany is part of my country's national interest (staatsraison). This means that, for me as German chancellor, Israel's security is never negotiable.' Similar words were also used by Scholz in the wake of the October 7 attacks in which Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel and kidnapped some 250 others. Since Merkel's speech, and particularly after she stepped down as chancellor in 2021, 'the term got a life of its own,' the analyst Lintl says. 'It appeared that if you want to be a respected politician, you have to use the term because it came to signal … that Israel's security is German staatsraison. It is the minimum threshold we use to distance ourselves from the past,' Lintl says. That 'past' refers largely to the Holocaust in which the Nazis killed more than 6 million Jews. In Finland on Tuesday, Merz was quick to reiterate he is not abandoning staatsraison entirely. 'Israel's security and existence are, as we have been saying for many years and decades, part of our German staatsraison,' but he has clearly set out to clarify it. Lintl added: 'We didn't know how this government will conduct itself, or how this government policy toward Israel will look – right now we have more of an idea.' It remains unclear if Merz and Germany's relationship with Israel will shift significantly. Merz has maintained he will continue to talk with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Merz has also said he would find 'ways and means' for Israel's prime minister to visit Germany given the ICC (International Criminal Court) arrest warrant out for him. For now, the statements from Israel seem muted, and respectful. The Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor told German TV Tuesday morning, 'when somebody criticizes Israel, and when Friedrich Merz makes this criticism, we listen very carefully because he is a friend.' Inke Kappler contributed reporting.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Merz Says Kyiv's Allies Ended Curbs on Russia Strikes Months Ago
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukraine 's allies decided several months ago to drop restrictions on the use of the weapons they've provided to allow Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russia. 'As far as I know, and as I reported yesterday, the countries that had range restrictions have abandoned these restrictions,' Merz said Tuesday in Turku, Finland. 'I described what has been happening for months, namely that Ukraine has the right to use the weapons it receives, even beyond its own borders.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Germany's Merz Anticipates Prolonged Ukraine War Due to Russia's Reluctance for Talks
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that the war in Ukraine is expected to persist due to Russia's reluctance to enter negotiations. "Wars typically end because of economic or military exhaustion on one side or on both sides and in this war, we are obviously still far from reaching that (situation)", Merz said at a joint press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Turku. "So, we may have to prepare for a longer duration," he added.
