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Germany shifts stance, threatens steps against Israel over Gaza offensive

European Union is now reviewing its Israel policy while the UK, Canada and France have already threatened Israel with “concrete actions” over its Gaza offensive.

Fire and smoke rise following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. (AP Photo/ File)

In a setback for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support base, Germany’s foreign minister has threatened unspecified measures against Tel Aviv for its continued offensive in Gaza and that Berlin will not be able to supply weapons which are allegedly being used to break humanitarian law.

Germany, along with the United States and other Western powers have been in support of Israel since the country was attacked by Gaza based Hamas militant group on October 7, 2023 in which at least 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.

However, the European Union is now reviewing its Israel policy as Germany has indicated a pause in weapon supply and support while the United Kingdom, Canada and France have already threatened Israel with “concrete actions” over its Gaza offensive in a joint statement earlier this month.

Die Lage in Gaza ist nicht hinnehmbar. Israel hat das Recht, sich zu verteidigen – aber die humanitäre Hilfe in Gaza muss ganz dringend verbessert werden. Dafür braucht es jetzt einen Waffenstillstand – und klare Schritte hin zur Zwei-Staaten-Lösung.

— Johann Wadephul (@AussenMinDE) May 26, 2025

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told broadcaster WDR that Berlin’s support to Tel Aviv must not be instrumentalised, as massive air strikes and shortages of food and medicine supply in Gaza has made the situation worse and “unbearable”.

We firmly oppose the expansion of Israeli military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering is intolerable.

In the lead-up to the June 18 conference in New York, we must all work toward implementing the two-state solution.

Our joint statement — France, the United…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 19, 2025

“Our committed fight against anti-Semitism and our full support for the right to exist and the security of the state of Israel must not be instrumentalised for the conflict and the warfare currently being waged in the Gaza Strip,” Minister Wadephul said.

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The German foreign minister further added, “We are now at a point where we have to think very carefully about what further steps to take. Where we see dangers of harm, we will of course intervene and certainly not supply weapons so that there will be further harm,” Reuters reported.

Earlier, newly anointed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also criticised Israel’s new offensive against Gaza as he said that it can’t be justified to fight against Hamas and remains no longer comprehensible.

Netanyahu has said that he has shifted his stance from saving the hostages held by Hamas to capturing the entire Gaza territory and eliminating Hamas from the region.

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