German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has criticized the events in the Gaza Strip as "no longer acceptable." The German government is insisting "first, that there is a ceasefire there and, second, that there is comprehensive humanitarian aid for the people in the region," Merz said on Friday at his summer press conference in Berlin. He also clarified that Israel's settlement policy in the West Bank "does not meet with the approval of the German government."
The German government has also expressed this "clearly and unequivocally," including in personal discussions with members of the Israeli government, the Chancellor said. He also emphasized Germany's commitment to Israel's security. "We are doing everything we can to do justice to both sides; it's clear where we stand," Merz said. "But we also see the suffering of the Palestinian population and are trying to do everything possible to provide humanitarian aid here as well."
There is currently no other crisis region "that concerns us as intensively in foreign policy as the Middle East – apart from the war in Ukraine," Merz continued. He drew a sharp distinction between the two conflicts. "Israel, unlike Russia, is still a democracy, and Israel, unlike Russia, is a country that has been attacked."
Israel is defending itself against these attacks, and if it hadn't done so, "the State of Israel would no longer exist today," the Chancellor continued. The country has been threatened for decades, and at the latest since October 7, 2023, and the major attack by the radical Islamist Hamas, "we know that this threat can become extremely serious."
In response to the Hamas attack, Israel has since launched a massive military offensive in the coastal strip and is under increasing pressure due to the devastating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The UN warns of famine throughout the territory.
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