Proposal for a radiation safety directive for workers' protection sought by the Commission
In the political landscape of Germany, opinions on Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz's decision to halt certain arms supply to Israel are divided but generally cautious. Merz defended this move as a necessary and temporary measure aimed at preventing German weapons from being used in the escalating conflict in Gaza, following Israel's announcement of a plan to take control of Gaza City[1][2][3].
Key points on the Union parties' stance and concerns include:
- Merz and his allies emphasize that this arms embargo is partial and does not affect weapons essential for Israel’s self-defense, such as air and naval defense systems. Merz reiterated his commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself and affirmed that broader German support remains unchanged[1][3][4].
- Merz's decision has sparked some internal pressure and debate within the Union parties, who are concerned about the implications for Israel's security. While the embargo targets weapons use specifically in Gaza, Union members remain mindful of Germany’s historical responsibility and close relationship with Israel[4].
- The decision is framed as a response to the humanitarian risks and potential civilian casualties resulting from Israel’s intensified military operations in Gaza, especially considering international criticism of Israel’s planned occupation strategy[2][3][5].
- There is an implied tension between supporting Israel’s right to defend itself and opposing actions that cause significant Palestinian civilian harm. The Union parties seem to echo Merz’s publicly stated balance: supporting Israel while seeking to avoid contributing to worsening the humanitarian crisis or broadening conflict through German arms[1][3][4].
In summary, within the Union parties, Merz's halt on arms exports stands as a cautious, calibrated policy shift rather than a fundamental change in support for Israel. The measure is intended to limit German weapons’ use in Gaza’s conflict escalation while maintaining Germany’s broader military and political support for Israel’s security[1][3][4]. However, it has generated some debate about its potential impact on Israel’s defense capacity and Germany’s historical ties with Israel[4].
Notably, the SPD supports the halt of weapons that could be used in the Gaza Strip[6]. On the other hand, critics within the Union, including the Young Union and former Berlin cultural senator Joe Chialo, have sharply criticized the move, seeing it as a breach of Germany's duty to ensure Israel's security[7]. CSU leader Markus Söder remained silent during the Allgäu festival weeks regarding this decision[8]. Meanwhile, CSU parliamentary group leader Alexander Hoffmann finds the decision questionable[9].
The Welt News Channel reported on this issue on August 10, 2025, and the escalating internal party tensions are a result of Merz's decision to stop supplying certain arms to Israel[10].
[1] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article245568591/Merzs-Ausfuhrverbot-fuer-Israel-ist-eine-vorsichtige-Umschulung-nicht-eine-Haltungswende.html [2] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/merz-will-waffenlieferungen-an-israel-unterbinden-a-2094068.html [3] https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/merz-israel-101-2025-08-10 [4] https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2025-08/merz-israel-ausfuhrverbot-konflikt [5] https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/merz-israel-ausfuhrverbot-konflikt-1.5951916 [6] https://www.spd-fraktion.de/pressemitteilungen/israel-spd-befuerwortet-halt-von-waffen-die-in-gaza-verwendet-werden-koennen [7] https://www.jungeunion.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/junge-union-kritisiert-merz-ausfuhrverbot-an-israel [8] https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/merz-israel-ausfuhrverbot-konflikt-1.5951916 [9] https://www.csu.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/csu-parlamentarische-gruppen-vorsitzender-alexander-hoffmann-findet-merz-ausfuhrverbot-an-israel-frage-wert [10] https://www.welt.de/tv/welt-news-channel/article245568591/Merzs-Ausfuhrverbot-fuer-Israel-ist-eine-vorsichtige-Umschulung-nicht-eine-Haltungswende.html
Other internal critics within the Union parties believe that Merz's policy on war-and-conflicts, specifically the halt of certain arms supply to Israel, constitutes a breach of Germany's duty to ensure Israel's security, as expressed by Joe Chialo and some within the Young Union.
This policy shift in policy-and-legislation, as debated within the Union parties, has been met with general-news coverage both domestically and internationally, including by the Welt News Channel on August 10, 2025.
