I have to say it plainly: I am disappointed.
Not only with Germany, but with the West as a whole. In early August, the German federal government decided to halt the delivery of certain weapons to Israel—specifically those that could be used in the Gaza Strip. This decision came in the midst of the war against Hamas, which two years ago committed the worst attack on Jews since World War II. Chancellor Friedrich Merz justified the move by citing the humanitarian situation in Gaza and concerns that the conflict is being waged “solely militarily.”
Officially, the decision affects only weapons that could be directly used in Gaza. Systems for defense against threats from Iran will continue to be supplied. But this step alone marks the most significant cut in German-Israeli arms cooperation in decades.
Just empty words?
This cooperation did not come about by chance. Over many years, a special relationship with Israel has developed from Germany’s historical responsibility. In 2008, Angela Merkel declared in the Israeli parliament that Israel’s security is part...
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