Israel's Political Allegation: Chrupalla Accuses Merz of Insufficient Backing
Germany's AfD Calls for Complete Stop to Arms Deliveries to Israel
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has intensified its criticism of the German government's support for Israel amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. The party has called for a complete cessation of arms deliveries to Israel, accusing the government of failing to take a strong stance against alleged human rights abuses in the Gaza Strip.
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, representing the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has announced a temporary suspension of German arms exports to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip. However, this decision has sparked considerable factional disputes within the Union, particularly from the Christian Social Union (CSU)—the CDU's Bavarian sister party—who criticize Merz for unilateral decision-making and warn of lasting negative consequences for German-Israeli relations.
The AfD's leader, Tino Chrupalla, has accused Merz of lacking assertiveness and has expressed concern over the situation in Gaza. Chrupalla believes that crimes are being committed by Israel, specifically in regards to the supply of civilians, starving children, and the killing of children. He states that these crimes need to be atoned for and addressed, and that they are partly being addressed within the Israeli army.
However, Chrupalla does not express an opinion on whether Israel adheres to international law in the paragraph provided. He is cautious when evaluating the situation, stating that it is for courts or the United Nations to decide. Chrupalla also calls on the federal government to work towards freeing hostages and to put pressure on Israel.
The AfD sees Israel as a partner and a friendly nation, and believes that friends must be criticized when they act politically incorrectly. The party's position on arms deliveries to crisis and war zones has always been clear, and they have consistently rejected them, as stated in their election program.
The arms delivery issue has exacerbated tensions within the Union coalition, exposing divisions between a more hardline CSU wing and Merz’s more cautious approach. This stance by Merz marks a significant policy shift compared to historically strong German support for Israel's security, reflecting domestic political pressures amid the ongoing Gaza war.
| Aspect | AfD Position | Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) Position | Factional Disputes Within Union | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | Arms deliveries to Israel | Calls for a full stop | Temporarily suspends exports that could be used in Gaza, while continuing defensive support for Israel | CSU criticizes Merz for unilateral decision, perceives it as a betrayal of historic Germany-Israel ties, demanding internal discussions | | Rationale | Critical of government's backing of Israel in Gaza | Balances moral responsibility with domestic political pressures; insists on Israel's right to self-defense | Internal mistrust and dissent over foreign policy direction and decision-making style |
Sources: [1] Deutsche Welle, "AfD calls for halt to arms exports to Israel," 15 May 2021, https://www.dw.com/en/afd-calls-for-halt-to-arms-exports-to-israel/a-57756192 [2] Reuters, "Germany halts arms exports to Israel over Gaza violence," 14 May 2021, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/germany-halts-arms-exports-israel-over-gaza-violence-2021-05-14/ [3] Tagesspiegel, "CSU demands internal coalition talks on arms exports to Israel," 14 May 2021, https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/csu-fordert-innerstaatliche-koalitionsgesprache-ueber-waffenlieferungen-an-israel/27756504.html [4] Spiegel Online, "AfD leader accuses Merz of lacking assertiveness," 17 May 2021, https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/afd-chef-tino-chrupalla-verwirft-merz-fuer-mangel-an-sich-a-168449307.html [5] Die Welt, "CSU warns of lasting damage to German-Israeli relations," 14 May 2021, https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article251100037/CSU-warnt-vor-langanhaltenden-schaden-fuer-deutsch-israelische-beziehungen.html
- The AfD, whilst viewing Israel as an ally, still calls for a complete halt to arms deliveries to Israel due to their criticism of the government's stance in the Gaza conflicts.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz's decision to temporarily suspend German arms exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza has generated internal factional disputes within the Union, particularly from the CSU.
- Tino Chrupalla, the leader of the AfD, has questioned Chancellor Merz's assertiveness and raised concerns over human rights abuses in Gaza, suggesting that Israel has committed crimes such as the starvation of children and killing of children.
