Germany's foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, on Tuesday warned Israel of unspecified measures and declared Berlin would cease exporting weapons used in violation of humanitarian law, Reuters reported.
This marks the most severe rebuke yet from Germany, delivered in concert with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as international pressure mounts on Israel regarding its military operations in Gaza.
long a staunch supporter of Israel following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, Germany's shift aligns with a broader European re-evaluation of Israel policy. This comes as Britain, France, and Canada have also threatened "concrete actions" over the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Speaking to broadcaster WDR, Minister Wadephul stressed that Germany's historic support for Israel, rooted in the legacy of the Nazi Holocaust and known as the "Staatsraeson," must not be "instrumentalized" by the current conflict. He described the situation in Gaza, marked by "massive air strikes and shortages of food and medicines," as "unbearable."
Chancellor Merz, speaking earlier in Finland, also criticized the air strikes on Gaza, stating they were "no longer justified by the need to fight Hamas and 'no longer comprehensible.'"
Wadephul reiterated this sentiment, stating, "Our committed fight against anti-Semitism 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."
He added, "We are now at a point where we have to think very carefully about what further steps to take," and affirmed, "Where we see dangers of harm, we will of course intervene and certainly not supply weapons so that there will be further harm."
Israel's ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, acknowledged German concerns, stating, "When Friedrich Merz raises this criticism of Israel, we listen very carefully because he is a friend."
2 comments:
"Berlin would cease exporting weapons used in violation of humanitarian law" ?
Really ? Do we have a list of what kind of "weapons" Germany is exporting to Israel ? Probably null.
NOBODY of German extraction, citizenship, or affinity has the right to criticize Israel. Period. Full Stop!
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