Merz: support for Israel non-negotiable
At the Central Council of Jews’ 75th anniversary celebration, Federal Chancellor Merz underlined Germany’s commitment to Israel’s right to exist.
Berlin (dpa) – Despite his own criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reaffirmed Germany’s unwavering support for the State of Israel. Speaking at celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Merz said this commitment was “non-negotiable”. Merz recently criticised Israel’s conduct in the Middle East conflict and restricted the export of weapons to the country.
Central Council President Josef Schuster noted that the reasoning behind some of Netanyahu’s government’s decisions was not always clear and that Jews outside Israel likewise struggled with the statements issued by some cabinet members. Nevertheless, he stressed that Germany must stand up for Israel’s security, regardless of who is prime minister.
Addressing this in his speech, Merz said criticism of the Israeli government had to be possible, but he distinguished it from “criticism of Israel”, which increasingly served as a pretext for antisemitism. “Germany’s commitment to the existence and security of the State of Israel is a non-negotiable part of the normative foundations of our country,” Merz declared.