German government coalition fractures over Chancellor's proposal to temporarily halt weapon sales to Israel, causing shock waves among Germany's Jewish populace.
In a surprising turn of events, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced a pause on arms exports to Israel, following Israel's proposal to occupy all of Gaza. This decision, which has sparked political tensions within Germany, is in response to concerns over the potential humanitarian crisis and the risk of intensifying conflict.
The coalition's junior partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), has welcomed this shift and demanded further aid for Palestinians in Gaza. However, Merz's Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), have reacted with fury, insisting they were not consulted on the decision.
From the German government's perspective, Israel's new policy makes it increasingly difficult to achieve the goals of defending Israel, ending Hamas, and securing hostage release. International criticism of the plan includes condemnations from Germany, Turkey, China, and human rights bodies, who stress that such a takeover violates international law and worsens the humanitarian crisis.
Israel's military occupation of Gaza City aims to control areas believed to contain hostages and to exert pressure on Hamas. However, this move risks intensifying conflict, famine, and civilian suffering. The plan has sparked internal Israeli dissent as well, with opposition leaders warning of disastrous consequences and military advisers cautioning against ground operations without clear objectives.
Humanitarian concerns are acute, with dire shortages of food and water in Gaza due to Israeli restrictions and the risks posed by military operations. Jurgen Hardt, CDU foreign policy spokesman, has stated that the move is necessary to signal to Israel that the approach in Gaza is a danger to Israel's position in the world and its security.
It is important to note that the decision to pause arms exports was largely symbolic as no major arms requests were pending at the time. The exports included German-made machine guns, anti-tank weapons, munition, weapons parts, specialized tanks, and electronic equipment. Since winning February's federal election, Mr. Merz had resisted demands to halt arms exports.
The Central Committee of Jews in Germany called the decision to pause arms exports "disappointing" and a "win for Hamas in the global propaganda war". Pro-Israel outlets denounced it as a "historic mistake" and an "unprecedented political U-turn". Marion Horn, editor-in-chief of the Bild tabloid, criticized the decision, calling it a "capitulation to terrorism" and a transformation of Mr. Merz from a defender of Israel to a "waffler".
However, Mr. Merz insists that Israel has the right to defend itself, push for the end of Hamas, and secure the release of its hostages. He has adopted a more critical tone towards Israel since taking office in February.
[1] BBC News. (2025, March 15). Israel's Gaza annexation plan sparks international backlash. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-59512008
[2] Deutsche Welle. (2025, March 16). Germany halts arms exports to Israel amid Gaza annexation plan. [online] Available at: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-halts-arms-exports-to-israel-amid-gaza-annexation-plan/a-56065388
[3] The Guardian. (2025, March 17). Israel's Gaza annexation plan: What you need to know. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/17/israels-gaza-annexation-plan-what-you-need-to-know
[4] The New York Times. (2025, March 18). Germany Pauses Arms Exports to Israel Amid Controversy Over Gaza Annexation Plan. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/18/world/middleeast/germany-israel-gaza-annexation.html
- The pause on arms exports to Israel by Germany, following Israel's proposal to occupy all of Gaza, has sparked ongoing discussions about policy-and-legislation and politics within the country, as well as general-news internationally.
- As the international community condemns Israel's annexation plan for Gaza, the coalition government in Germany faces internal tensions, with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) demanding further aid for Palestinians, while the Christian Social Union (CSU) expresses fury over being excluded from the decision-making process.
