German Chancellor Merz criticizes IDF's Gaza operations but stops short of backing EU sanctions

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday that Berlin views Israel’s current military operations in Gaza as disproportionate, but emphasized that the government has not yet decided whether to back potential European Union sanctions against Israel.

"We will reach a final opinion of the German government on these questions, which now need to be answered at the European level, in the coming days," Merz stated during a diplomatic visit to Spain.

"We will discuss these issues again next week at the federal cabinet level. I assume that we will then have a position at the informal council meeting on October 1 in Copenhagen that will also be supported by the entire German government," he added.

Germany remains one of Israel’s closest allies in the European Union. Although Berlin has recently stepped up its criticism of Israel’s military operations, it has firmly rejected widespread accusations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

In January 2024, Germany announced it would defend Israel in the South African-led genocide case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists brutally attacked, tortured, killed and kidnapped innocent people in Israel,” a German government spokesperson stated at the time. “Hamas's goal is to wipe out Israel. Since then, Israel has been defending itself against the inhumane attack by Hamas."

The spokesperson strongly rejected the charge of genocide against Israel.

"The Federal Government firmly and expressly rejects the accusation of genocide that has now been made against Israel at the International Court of Justice. This accusation has no basis whatsoever.”

The German government is coming under growing domestic and international pressure to adopt a more critical stance toward Israel in the Middle East conflict. Thus far, however, Berlin has avoided supporting strong commercial or political sanctions against the Jewish state.

While in Madrid, Merz stressed that legitimate criticism of Israeli policies must not turn into hatred against Jews.

"Criticism of the Israeli government must be possible, but we must never allow it to be used to incite hatred against Jews," the German leader stated, adding that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was in agreement.

Some commentators contend that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has gone too far in his criticism of Israel by accusing it of “genocide” in Gaza.

Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz, leader of Sumar, a left-wing political alliance, has also drawn controversy for using the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” – a phrase widely interpreted as denying Israel’s right to exist. Germany banned the slogan last year, classifying it as antisemitic incitement.

The German leader also emphasized that Berlin has no plans to join the growing number of Western nations moving to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state.

At the reopening of Munich’s Reichenbach Synagogue this week, Merz vowed to combat antisemitism in all its forms, declaring: “We will not tolerate antisemitism even when it is disguised under the pretense of freedom, of art, of culture, or of science,” he vowed.