Berlin
CNN
–
For decades, Germany has stood straight at the corner of Israel. The dark history of Jewish persecution shapes a modern policy of effectively questionable support.
In the aftermath of Hamas on October 7, 2023, the attacks raised the issue of German political and military support for Israel, reaffirmed by then Prime Minister Olaf Scholz.
However, recent comments by new Prime Minister Friedrich Merz have put Germany’s support for Israel in the spotlight.
“We are disappointed by the fate of civilians and the terrible suffering of civilians,” the Gaza prime minister said on Tuesday when he visited Tak, Finland.
The issues that caused Mertz’s sharp change in tone to Israel remain unclear. Peter Lintl, an analyst at the German International Security Association, focusing on German-Israel relations, hopes to understand the direction of the trip before Mertz takes office and begins a conversation with Israeli leaders and outlines his stance.
“The conclusion that most countries in the world have come is a terrible war with no more clear purpose,” Lintle told CNN. “It’s clearly a change in tone and change in the German government’s position.”
Following comments on Tuesday, Mertz questioned the current actions of the Israeli Defence Forces within Gaza.
Referring to Israel’s expanded operations and the territorial humanitarian crisis, the German Prime Minister said he no longer sees logic as to how they serve their goal of fighting fear and freeing hostages.
Tuesday’s language heated up on Monday with a thinly veiled threatening heel from Berlin’s Mertz. “The Israeli government should not do anything that its best friend is no longer ready to accept,” he said.
Mertz also does something previously unthinkable and question whether Israel is violating international law.
The change in tone is particularly impressive due to Germany’s longstanding attitude towards Israel. This relates to a theory known as “Staatsraison.” Or national interest.
The connection between Staatsraison and Israel was created in 2008 by then-Chair Minister Angela Merkel.
She told the Israeli Parliament, or Knessett, “German historical responsibility is part of my country’s national interests (Stassoy Zone). This means that as German Prime Minister, Israel’s security can never be negotiated.”
Similar words were also used by Scholz in the wake of the October 7 attacks in which Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel and lured around 250 others.
Since Merkel’s speech, “The term has gained a life of its own,” says analyst Lintle, especially after she resigned as prime minister in 2021.
“If you want to be a respected politician, you’ve come to signal, so it seemed you have to use the terminology… Israel’s security is the German stair lawn.. that Lintl said:
That “past” refers primarily to the Holocaust, where the Nazis killed over 6 million Jews.
In Finland on Tuesday, Meltz quickly repeated that he had not abandoned Stathrason. Overall. “Israel’s security and presence is part of our German steareason, as we have said over the years for decades,” he clearly tries to make it clear.
Lintl added: “We didn’t know how this government would act or what this government’s policy towards Israel would look like. Now we have more ideas.”
It remains unclear whether Merz’s relations with Germany and Israel will change significantly.
Meltz claims he will continue to talk to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Merz also said he would find a “way and means” to visit Germany, considering the Israeli Prime Minister left him with the ICC (International Criminal Court) arrest warrants.
For now, the statement from Israel has been muted and appears to be respectful.
The German ambassador for Israel told German television on Tuesday morning.
Inke Kappler contributed the report.
