Germany will decide whether to support sanctions against Israel ahead of the European Union (EU) meeting in Copenhagen in October, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday during a visit to Madrid.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Merz said Israel’s operations in Gaza were not proportional to its stated objectives, but Germany did not regard them as acts of genocide. He added that recognising Palestinian statehood was not currently on Germany’s agenda.
Merz’s comments indicate that while Germany is open to criticising Israel, it remains hesitant to take punitive measures against the country.
The European Commission on Wednesday proposed suspending a trade agreement covering €5.8 billion of Israeli exports due to the Gaza conflict. However, the measure currently lacks sufficient support among EU member states.
Merz stated: “We will revisit these issues at the federal cabinet level next week and aim to present Germany’s final position at the informal Council meeting in Copenhagen on 1 October.”
Germany maintains it has a special responsibility towards Israel, though the death of nearly 64,000 Palestinians in the Gaza conflict has caused concern across Europe.
Meanwhile, Israeli tanks are advancing in two key areas leading to Gaza City’s centre, and internet and phone lines have been cut, signalling a likely escalation of ground operations.
The Government of Kazakhstan has condemned Ukraine’s latest drone strikes on a Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal on the Russian Black sea....
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety", but gave...
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at ...
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's dis...
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with...
The Government of Kazakhstan has condemned Ukraine’s latest drone strikes on a Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal on the Russian Black sea.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety", but gave no further details.
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
At least 47 people have died and another 21 are reported missing following ten days of heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides across Sri Lanka, local media reported on Thursday (27 November).
Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations on Friday after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex, killing at least 128 people, injuring 79 and leaving around 200 still missing.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
The Spanish agricultural sector has been placed on high alert following the confirmation that African Swine Fever (ASF) has resurfaced in the country for the first time in over thirty years.
The Government of Kazakhstan has condemned Ukraine’s latest drone strikes on a Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal on the Russian Black sea.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety", but gave no further details.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
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