Israel to receive no more weapons, claims AfD, as Merz is criticized for insufficient backing
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has weighed in on the ongoing dispute about weapons deliveries to Israel, expressing concerns over alleged crimes being committed on the Israeli side in the Gaza Strip. Tino Chrupalla, the leader of the AfD, made this statement during a recent ZDF summer interview.
Chrupalla, a vocal critic of the federal government, accused Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz of lacking assertiveness. He also stated that the CDU faction is deeply divided on the issue of weapons deliveries to Israel. The AfD's position on this issue has always been clear: it has always rejected weapons deliveries to crisis and war zones.
While the CDU/CSU faction and CSU as coalition partner have shown internal discord, they have not explicitly reversed Merz's decision to freeze weapons deliveries to Israel amid its Gaza campaign. This bold step by Merz, despite his earlier praise for Israel's actions against Iranian targets, indicates a complicated stance within his conservative bloc.
The CDU/CSU-led government has frozen arms exports to Israel as part of Merz's Gaza campaign stance, a move that has stirred some internal tension but no outright faction split or CSU opposition has been stated. The Union faction is currently divided over the halt in weapons deliveries to Israel, with coalition partner CSU and parts of the CDU criticizing Merz's decision.
The AfD, as a far-right opposition party, plays a role mostly in benefiting from public concern over migration and security policies that Merz enforces. However, it does not appear directly involved in the dispute about weapons deliveries to Israel. The AfD gained significant voter share partly due to dissatisfaction with current immigration policies but is not cited as a key player in the weapons delivery controversy itself.
Chrupalla believes that issues of supply of civilians, hunger of children, and killing of children in Gaza constitute crimes that need to be atoned for and addressed. Part of the atonement and addressing of these crimes is already happening within the Israeli army, according to Chrupalla.
As the situation continues to unfold, the foreign policy experts of the CDU/CSU faction are holding a video conference today to discuss the matter further. The AfD stands by its rejection of weapons deliveries to crisis and war zones, and Chrupalla believes that Israel, as a partner and friendly country, should be criticized when it lies politically, particularly in the context of its election program.
The AfD, led by Tino Chrupalla, has accused Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz of a lack of assertiveness and internal division within the CDU faction on the issue of weapons deliveries to crisis zones, specifically Israel. Despite the CDU/CSU-led government freezing arms exports to Israel, the AfD maintains its stance, rejecting weapons deliveries to war zones and criticizing Israel politically, especially moments of alleged crimes committed during its Gaza campaign.
