Debate about Israel's conduct of war: Merz and the new raison d'état

Debate about Israel's conduct of war: Merz and the new raison d'état

In the last two years, the political landscape in Germany has changed significantly, especially with regard to relations with Israel. On October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded Israel and still holds hostages. In response to this attack, Israel launched a war in Gaza that raises not only military but also moral questions. The accusation of genocide is looming, and the debate about Germany's reasons of state regarding Israel is gaining momentum. tagesschau.de reports that this is a central topic in the current political discussion.

Friedrich Merz, the current German chancellor, is concerned about developments in the Gaza Strip and has repeatedly emphasized that solidarity with Israel is unwavering for him. However, he also made critical comments about Israel's conduct of the war and clearly stated that if international law was violated, the German Chancellor would also have to say something. In August 2025, Merz even decided to stop supplying weapons that could be used in the Gaza Strip, which aroused great interest among the population and was controversially discussed in the media.

Public reactions and demonstrations

All of this is happening against the background of a broad public that is increasingly critical of Israel's actions. According to an ARD-DeutschlandTrend, 63% of Germans are of the opinion that Israel is going too far militarily. In various cities, including Berlin, tens of thousands demonstrated with slogans such as “Stop the Gaza genocide”. Such movements are supported by musicians like Michael Barenboim, who describes Israel's actions as genocide and calls on Germany to take active countermeasures.

In a remarkable initiative, around 150 scientists, politicians and diplomats are calling for a change of course in German policy towards Israel. This included the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which warned of increasing anti-Semitism. The situation is particularly worrying for Jewish and Israeli institutions, which face significant threats. Merz admitted in a speech that the wave of anti-Semitism that has emerged since October 7, 2023 makes him ashamed.

Happened in science and discussions about the Middle East conflict

Parallel to these events, the academic world is also becoming increasingly noisy. The Israeli-Swiss historian José Brunner draws parallels to current events in his recently published book "Brutal Neighbors. How emotions drive the Middle East conflict - and can defuse it." Brunner, who takes an interesting and critical look at the emotionally charged dynamics of the Middle East conflict, could offer valuable insights through his experiences in a Jewish-Arab student movement.

As a political scientist and lawyer who has taught at renowned universities such as Harvard and Tel Aviv University, he remains an influential player in the debate about the conflict and what is happening in the Gaza Strip. Süddeutsche.de reports von Brunner's critical views, which should also be heard.

Overall, the question arises as to how Germany can continue to shape its responsibility as a partner and friend of Israel in this complex situation without losing sight of the humanitarian aspects. In such a historical development, politics must make fine distinctions and promote dialogue in order to ensure both security interests and compliance with international legal standards.