Tensions Surface in Union Over Merz's Subtle Policy Shift in Israel - The European Union is currently experiencing turmoil and upheaval.
Friedrich Merz, the German politician, has announced a partial stop to weapons exports to Israel, a decision that has caused significant controversy within his own party, the CDU, and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU.
This break from decades of Germany’s consistent support and foreign policy toward Israel, rooted in historical responsibility for the Holocaust, has angered many in Merz's camp, particularly the CSU, which sees the move as a foreign policy error with lasting repercussions.
The controversy stems from Merz's unilateral decision on a deeply sensitive foreign policy issue without consulting his coalition partners. The decision marks a significant shift and a break from "decades of continuity" in German-Israeli relations.
Merz justified the export halt as a response to Israel’s government plan to expand military operations in the Gaza Strip, which the German government fears will worsen the humanitarian crisis and civilian casualties. He emphasized that Germany cannot support arms deliveries when the conflict is being pursued “exclusively by military means” and that the military action risks massive civilian displacement.
Although Merz affirmed Germany’s firm support for Israel’s right to defend itself, the decision to stop arms exports was viewed internally as a significant shift. The CSU criticized Merz’s unilateral move strongly, noting the lack of prior consultation and warning it might undermine coalition unity and Germany’s historical policy of supporting Israel’s security.
The Young Union, a youth wing of the CDU, has criticized the decision, with its chairman, Johannes Winkel, stating that Israel is doing the dirty work for Germany without German weapons. Some consider any criticism of the Israeli government as biased and potentially antisemitic.
Roderich Kiesewetter, the Union faction's spokesman on foreign policy, has expressed his disappointment and considered the suspension of weapons deliveries to Israel a serious political and strategic mistake by Germany.
Merz's standing in his party will depend on how well he can explain his decision to his own people, as he has upended one of the fundamental pillars of Christian democratic politics. The decision has caused outrage in parts of Merz's own party, especially among younger members.
Merz's tone towards the Israeli government has been getting sharper for months. He held weekly telephone calls with his Israeli counterparts, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but these calls reportedly became increasingly frosty over time, with one instance turning heated.
The decision to restrict weapons exports marks a turning point in German-Israeli policy. Germany’s increasing international isolation on this issue may have played a role in Merz's decision. Many people in Germany have long demanded a tougher stance against the Israeli government, but this decision is unlikely to satisfy them.
Merz spoke for the first time about violations of international law in relation to Israel and convened the Security Council to discuss the situation in Gaza due to reports of starving people, warnings of a mass die-off, and the Israeli government’s annexation plans for the West Bank.
This political shift may be similarly costly, affecting not only the DNA of the CDU and CSU, but also the moral self-understanding of many MPs, and for some, their entire self-image as political beings. The controversy has the potential to cause deep rifts within the CDU and the entire coalition.
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a regulation on the general-news surrounding the controversial policy-and-legislation changes in war-and-conflicts, particularly the recent decision by German politician Friedrich Merz to restrict weapons exports to Israel, given its potential implications on foreign relations and domestic politics.
This political shift in the policy-and-legislation of weapons exports, as a result of the war-and-conflicts in the Middle East, has sparked significant debate in the realm of politics, involving discussions in the policy-and-legislation arena and general-news media.
