Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Germany’s government of “rewarding Hamas’ terrorism” after the German Chancellor’s decision, Friedrich Merz, to suspend indefinitely, exports of weapons that can be used by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
“Instead of supporting Israel’s righteous war against Hamas, which has performed the most horrible attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Germany reward Hamas’s terrorism with his arms embargo to Israel,” the premiere’s office said in a statement. Netanyahu said he talked directly to Merz to express his “disappointment” with the decision.
The statement was released hours after the Israeli security office approves a military plan to occupy the city of Gaza. “Israel’s goal is not to take Gaza, but to free it from Hamas and allow a peaceful government to settle there,” the official note added.
Merz justified the measure by stating that the Israeli plan does not make it clear how the country intends to achieve its military objectives, including Hamas disarmament, hostage release, and rapid opening of negotiations for a ceasefire. “Under these circumstances, the federal government will not approve, until new notice, any export of military material that can be used in the Gaza Strip,” said the chancellor.
The decision is unprecedented for a German government. In 2024, Berlin had informally suspended part of the military exports to Israel, but without public confirmation, and sales resumed in the second half.
Since taking over in May, Merz has been undergoing internal and external pressure to adopt harder measures against Israel. Although initially he has rejected any possibility of sanctions, in recent weeks he has hardened the speech, aligning himself with the diplomatic efforts of Group E3 – formed by Germany, France and the United Kingdom – to force changes in the driving of war in Gaza.
Israel maintains that its enclave operation is a legitimate response to Hamas terrorist attacks and aims to eliminate the group’s ability to launch new offensive against Israeli civilians.
