Friedrich Merz announces politics amid international indignation on the expansion of Israel’s offensive
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated a significant change in Berlin’s firm support to Israel by interrupting the export of military equipment that could be used in Gaza, while international partners condemned Israeli plans to take control of the city of Gaza.
Merz issued a tough statement signaling reversal after several weeks openly criticizing Israel’s “unin -clear” political goals in Gaza and the humanitarian disaster that unfolded there, but stopping before presenting concrete political consequences.
The German leader said that Israel had the right to defend himself from Hamas and press for the liberation of his Israeli hostages, which he emphasized to be Berlin’s “greatest priority” along with “resolved negotiations on a ceasefire.”
However, Merz added that his government “believes that even harder military action in the Gaza Strip decided by the Israeli office last night makes it increasingly difficult to see how these goals can be achieved.”
“Under these circumstances, the German government will not approve, until new notice, no export of military equipment that can be used in the Gaza Strip.”
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Merz said his government was “deeply concerned about the continuous suffering of the civilian population” in Gaza, adding: “With the planned offensive, the Israeli government has even greater responsibility than so far for its provisions.”
After the devastating Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, Germany significantly increased its arms exports to Israel. The German Parliament announced in June that military equipment export licenses to Israel worth € 485 million were granted between October 7, 2023 and May 13, 2025.
Israel’s security office approved a plan on Thursday night to take the city of Gaza, marking another escalation in the nearly two-year offensive, which killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and triggered a hunger crisis in the territory.
The announcement generated international indignation with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asking Israel to retreat from their plans.
Ursula von der Leyen, chairman of the European Commission, begged Israel to reconsider his plans to occupy the city of Gaza. | SARAH MEYSSONNIER/REUTERS
“The Israeli government’s decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered,” she said on social networks. “At the same time, there must be the release of all hostages, which are being kept in inhuman conditions. And humanitarian aid must have immediate and unrestricted access to Gaza to deliver what is urgently necessary on the ground.”
“A ceasefire is necessary now.”
Spain Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, denounced the Israeli decision, saying that she “would only cause more destruction and suffering.”
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Strmer said Israel’s decision was mistaken and urged the country to reconsider immediately. “This action will contribute nothing to end this conflict or to guarantee the liberation of hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed,” he said in a statement.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that Israel’s plan “must be immediately interrupted,” and Turkey urged the international community to “prevent the implementation of this decision.”
Germany has maintained an unshakable security relationship with Israel for decades and describes its defense as essential to its own Staatsräson – essential to its national identity because of its responsibility for the Holocaust.
This strong support has caused Germany to refuse to support recent appeals within the European Union to impose sanctions on Israel for mass deaths from Gaza in Gaza, such as suspending an association agreement with highly favorable commercial terms or deleting it from major financing and exchange programs such as Horizon and Erasmus.
The EU has faced criticism for not taking measures against Israel in the face of hunger and blockages of public services and help, but has been tormented by divisions within the block, with Germany, Hungary and Austria prioritizing Israel’s support for defending.
In his statement on Friday, Merz reiterated that Israel should allow “large-scale access to help deliveries, including UN organizations and other non-governmental institutions,” so as to “continue to completely and sustainably improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza”.
He added that Germany “urgently asks the Israeli government to take no more measure towards the attachment of the West Bank.”
Public opinion in Germany has become increasingly critical of Israel as horrible images of hungry children and many civilians appear in Gaza.
A survey conducted in late July by the Opinion Research Institute Forsa found that almost three rooms of respondents believed that Berlin should apply more pressure on the Israeli government due to catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Although support for this stance was stronger in the far left party Linke (94%) and in the green (88%), most of the governing parties voters, the conservative bloc CDU/CSU of Merz and social democrats (SPD), shared the opinion, with 77%each.
Adis Ahmetović, SPD parliamentary group’s foreign policy spokesman, received Merz’s announcement on Friday, but said in the media of Der Spiegel that the suspension of arms deliveries “may only be a step-more need to come”, including a possible suspension of Israel’s commercial status with the EU.
Originally published by The Guardian on 08/08/2025
By Deborah cole in Berlin and Lisa O’Carroll in London
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/08/08/alemanha-suspende-exportacoes-de-armas-para-israel-que-poderiam-ser-usadas-em-gaza-enquanto-cresce-o-clamor-global/
