BERLIN (DPA, CONVERSEER) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s decision to suspend arms deliveries to Israel has exposed divisions within his governing conservative bloc, prompting its foreign affairs working group to schedule an urgent meeting for Sunday.
According to sources within the parliamentary group, the foreign policy experts will discuss the change of course on Israel.
Meetings of the group are customary when important developments occur, but party sources said the hastily arranged meeting on a Sunday during the summer recess shows how explosive the issue is.
Merz, who became chancellor in May, announced on Friday that Germany would halt exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in the 22-month campaign in the Gaza Strip.
The move, a major shift for one of Israel’s closest supporters, came after Israel’s Security Cabinet approved plans for a new offensive to seize Gaza City, the largest urban centre in the devastated Palestinian territory.
Merz expressed concern over the impact of the offensive on Gaza’s civilian population, and said the operation will make it more difficult for Israel to achieve its war goals.
READ ALSO: Pope Leo appoints Cardinal Grech Special Envoy for Gozo Marian celebration
The move garnered support from Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, who is leader of the centre-left Social Democrats – Merz’s junior coalition partner.
But there are divisions within his own Christian Democratic Party (CDU) party, as well as its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), are divided.
CDU lawmaker and foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen told the Rheinische Post on Saturday that he supported the export halt: “This reaction is correct and has unfortunately become inevitable due to the latest decisions by the Israeli government.”
His party colleague Carsten Müller, however, wrote on X that he condemned the federal government’s decision “in the strongest terms.”
The CDU’s youth wing called the move a “break” with the party’s principles, while the deputy chairman of the foreign policy working group, senior lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter, lambasted what he called “Germany’s serious political and strategic mistake.”
(dpa)
