German Chancellor Merz calls Israel’s Gaza assault 'no longer justified'

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Israel's current level of attacks on Gaza "can no longer be justified as a fight against Hamas terrorism." pic.twitter.com/7BzSU0pnUM

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoed Merz’s concerns, while junior coalition partner the Social Democrats have pushed for a halt to weapons exports to Israel, citing potential complicity in war crimes.

While not a full break from Germany's long-standing support for Israel, Merz's remarks mark a notable departure. Germany, along with the United States, has traditionally been one of Israel's staunchest allies.

However, European Union members, including Britain, France, and Canada, have recently threatened "concrete actions" against Israel over its conduct in Gaza.

"The massive military strikes by the Israelis in the Gaza Strip no longer reveal any logic to me," Merz said in Turku. "How they serve the goal of confronting terror… In this respect, I view this very, very critically."

Merz’s comments are particularly striking given his strong pro-Israel stance during his election campaign in February.

At the time, he promised to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Germany, despite an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes.

Merz has also displayed a picture of Zikim beach in his office, where Hamas fighters landed during their deadly rampage in 2023, which claimed the lives of around 1,200 people.

While Merz plans to speak with Netanyahu this week, his government has yet to make any definitive statements on the issue of German weapons exports to Israel.

A government official told reporters that this issue remains under review by a security council chaired by Merz himself.

Merz’s criticism comes amid a growing shift in public opinion in Germany. A recent survey by Civey, published in Tagesspiegel, revealed that 51% of Germans now oppose weapons exports to Israel.

Additionally, a Bertelsmann Foundation survey found that only 36% of Germans hold a positive view of Israel, compared to 46% in 2021. Meanwhile, 60% of Israelis have a favourable view of Germany.

This shift in public sentiment has also sparked heated debates within the German government.

Felix Klein, Germany's commissioner for antisemitism, recently called for a broader discussion on Germany’s stance toward Israel, stating that support for Israel following the Holocaust should not be used to justify all of Israel's actions.

The changing mood in Germany appears to be influencing the political elite, which has traditionally been shaped by the lessons of World War II.

Israeli historian Moshe Zimmermann noted that popular opinion in Germany has shifted similarly to other countries, but the difference lies in the political elite's response.

"The political elite is still under the influence of the lessons of WWII," Zimmermann said. "Jews were our victims during WWII, so we have to take sides with the Jews wherever they are and whatever they do."

This shift is evident in the comments made by Merz and Wadephul, as well as in Merz's failure to reaffirm his earlier promise to invite Netanyahu to Germany.

"This is an unprecedented situation where the pressure from below is forcing the political class to reconsider," Zimmermann added.

As the debate continues, Germany faces the delicate task of balancing its historical responsibility to Israel with its growing concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.