UPDATES WITH MORE COMMENTS FROM MERZ, ADDS BACKGROUND
By Anadolu staff
BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday continued his criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire and more humanitarian aid for Palestinians.
Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Merz expressed concern over the situation in Gaza and said he is holding talks with European leaders on ways to achieve a ceasefire and ensure unhindered humanitarian access.
“The actions in the Gaza Strip are no longer acceptable to us,” the Conservative leader said. "We are pushing for, first, a ceasefire there and, second, comprehensive humanitarian aid for the people in the region," he added.
Merz noted that he raised these concerns during his phone conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and affirmed he would continue his diplomatic efforts to address the situation.
"I discussed this yesterday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London. I will address it again next week when French President Emmanuel Macron visits Berlin," the chancellor said.
“We want to help the country (Israel), but we also state clearly and unequivocally what is unacceptable, and what is currently happening there (Gaza) is no longer acceptable,” he added.
While criticizing Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid and the way it's conducting military operations in Gaza, Merz reiterated that Germany will not support proposed sanctions by several EU member states, preferring instead to focus on diplomatic efforts.
We're not undermining anything; we're discussing this issue in great detail in the European Council,” he said in response to a question about sanctions proposed by countries including Spain and Ireland.
“Germany is not the only EU member state that currently opposes a suspension or even a termination of the EU's Association Agreement with Israel,” he added.
When asked about accusations of double standards – Germany pursuing sanctions against Russia while opposing similar measures against Israel – Merz defended his government's policy by stating that the two situations cannot be compared.
Unlike Russia, Israel is still a democracy. Unlike Russia, Israel is a country that has been attacked. And Israel is defending itself against these attacks,” Merz claimed. “If they had not done so, the state of Israel would no longer exist today and that is what fundamentally distinguishes Israel from the Russian war of aggression,” he added.
Germany has long been a staunch supporter of Israel, with political leaders repeatedly emphasizing the country's historical responsibility to Israel stemming from its Nazi past and the crimes committed against Jews during World War II.
However, the Merz government has adopted a more critical stance in recent weeks following Israel's renewed military offensive in Gaza, blockade of humanitarian aid distribution, and Israeli ministers' proposals to expel Palestinians and annex the territory.
Since Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in 2023, nearly 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 100,000 others wounded, most of them women and children.
Israel currently faces a genocide case at the ICJ for its actions in Gaza, where at least 1.9 million Palestinians remain displaced and suffer from severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essentials.