FLASH
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As famine looms in Gaza, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces pressure to abandon unwavering support for Israel and allow Brussels to penalize Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
The European Commission this week proposed terminating some parts of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, warning that the Israeli government has caused a "humanitarian catastrophe" that threatens "almost the entire population of Gaza."
A growing number of EU countries are in favor of taking such a step, but Germany has so far refused to endorse the proposal, which would mark a clear break from its traditionally unwavering support for Israel. Diplomats from many EU countries privately expressed their disappointment with Berlin after Merz suggested he wanted to see how the situation on the ground would develop in the coming days.
International pressure has intensified on Israel in the past two weeks, amid increasingly dire warnings about the situation facing hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza. In Europe, leaders including Emmanuel Macron of France and Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom have announced their intention to recognize a Palestinian state, demanding that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu cease hostilities and open meaningful access for aid agencies to deliver food and medical supplies.
The Commission proposal, which was circulated among EU ambassadors on Tuesday, calls for the partial suspension of Israel's access to Horizon Europe, the bloc's flagship research program. But despite the urgency, the measure did not appear to have received sufficient support among EU countries at the envoys' meeting, with Germany and three other countries blocking it.
But there are signs that Merz's opposition is softening. The German leader said on Monday that Berlin would await the outcome of a planned visit to Israel next week by the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom. "We of course reserve the right to hold further discussions and to take further decisions," he said. "We assume that the Israeli government is quite willing to accept that something needs to be done now."
At home, Merz is also facing increasing pressure. The Social Democrats (SPD) in Germany's coalition, along with parts of the opposition, have begun to question the country's unwavering support for Israel in light of the emergency in Gaza.
Government talks are planned after the German foreign minister's visit, said Derya Türk-Nachbaur, an SPD lawmaker. "I would like us to decide on more concrete measures."
“Coordination at the European level also means potentially increasing pressure with France and England, and perhaps even not blocking the measures announced by the EU,” she added. In June, the SPD officially asked the government to stop blocking the partial suspension of the association agreement at the EU level.
“The pressure on Germany may come more from domestic parties than from other EU countries,” a diplomatic source told Politico. Even Merz’s Christian Democrats “can no longer justify or cover up Israel’s actions.”
Italy, which has joined Germany in resisting the Commission plan, is also reconsidering its position. “Italy is with Germany, but in fact, both countries are considering changing their position and discussions are underway with the Israeli government,” the same person added. Other EU diplomats and officials, all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive issues, supported the stance.
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