PM Netanyahu says he’s ‘disappointed’ as Germany stops weapon supplies over Gaza War expansion
Germany joins other European powers in sharp criticism of Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his “disappointment” at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his decision to halt weapon supplies to Israel in a phone call on Friday.
The move surprised Merz’s party colleagues, causing internal criticism, along with consternation in Israel, as Germany had been one of the last countries to remain steadfast in its support of Israel amid a torrent of criticism in recent weeks.
The announcement followed Israel’s decision to expand the fighting in Gaza by ordering Israel Defense Forces to capture Gaza City, effectively taking over the entire enclave, as the IDF already holds 75% of the Strip.
“Instead of supporting Israel's just war against Hamas, which carried out the most horrific attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Germany is rewarding Hamas terrorism by embargoing arms to Israel,” Netanyahu stated.
The prime minister stressed that the new operation aims “not to take over Gaza, but to free Gaza from Hamas and enable a peaceful government to be established there.”
In his statement on Friday, Merz, whose country is Israel’s second-biggest arms supplier after the U.S., noted that “Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas’ terror,” called the release of the hostages and achieving a ceasefire “top priorities,” and demanded Hamas’ disarmament.
However, he wrote, “The new military push agreed by the Israeli security cabinet makes it increasingly unclear how these goals are to be achieved. The German Government will, until further notice, authorise no military equipment exports that can be used in the Gaza Strip.”
It is unlikely that a German weapons embargo will have an immediate impact on Israel’s ability to continue fighting Hamas in Gaza.
Media reports indicate that the most critical German-supplied military materials are components for Israel’s Merkava battle tanks, whereas other equipment – such as German-built submarines – plays a less direct role in the Gaza war.
Merz stated that Germany “remains deeply concerned about the suffering of Gaza’s civilian population in Gaza” and cautioned that the offensive would leave Israel with “even more responsibility than before for ensuring that civilians can be provided with the supplies they need.”
We are not going to occupy Gaza - we are going to free Gaza from Hamas.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) August 8, 2025
Gaza will be demilitarized, and a peaceful civilian administration will be established, one that is not the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, and not any other terrorist organization.
This will help free…
In a follow-up post on 𝕏, Netanyahu affirmed that Israel aims to demilitarize Gaza and establish “a peaceful civilian administration… one that is not the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, and not any other terrorist organization. This will help free our hostages and ensure Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future.”
It remains unclear what prompted Merz – long regarded as a staunch supporter of Israel – to take this drastic step, which was neither coordinated with his government nor even with his own party.
As opposition leader in Germany last year, Merz pilloried the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which is now his coalition partner, after it reportedly slowed down weapons deliveries to Israel.
The SPD overwhelmingly supported the decision, while high-ranking officials of Merz’s Christian-Democratic Party (CDU) sharply and publicly criticized the announcement.
Johannes Winkel, parliament member and leader of the party’s youth wing, attacked Merz, sarcastically remarking, “Israel is doing the dirty work for us, starting today, without German weapons.”
Roderich Kiesewetter, a veteran foreign policy expert, called the announcement “a serious political and strategic mistake.”
“I trust a friend like Israel to use the weapons in accordance with international law,” he said, warning the move would damage Germany’s credibility.
“We are bowing to an antisemitic mob on the streets that threatens Jewish life in Germany as well, and we are yielding to the cognitive warfare of ruthless Hamas propaganda. This will not free a single hostage, it will not help a single child in Gaza, and it will not make a single Israeli citizen feel safer,” he wrote on 𝕏.
Alexander Hoffman, faction leader of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the CSU, declared that his party was not involved in the decision and vowed there would be internal discussions about it.
CSU MP Stephan Pilsinger noted, “At present, it certainly feels like we are benefiting more from Israel in terms of security policy than Israel is from us.”
“What happens if the Israeli government turns the tables and we no longer receive support from Israel – whether in terms of air defense or Mossad intelligence for counterterrorism?”
The German-Israeli Society said Merz's declaration “amounts to a point victory for Hamas in the global propaganda war.”
“What the right course of action in the Gaza Strip is now is politically and militarily controversial even within Israel. We ourselves do not know the answer. But most of all, we do not know better… Germany should beware of arrogance,” the society stressed.
With Merz’s declaration, Germany is joining Europe’s other major powers, France and England, who have been escalating their criticism of Israel for months, culminating in their decisions to recognize a Palestinian state.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
