Germany is facing increasing pressure from both domestic voices and international partners to reconsider its rigid support for "Israel" amid the ongoing war on Gaza. The debate strikes at the heart of German post-war identity, long rooted in atonement for the Holocaust.

Germany has maintained unwavering backing for "Israel", even as criticism grows over the latter’s genocide of Palestinians. 

Now, as more European countries, including France, Britain, and Australia, have moved to recognize a Palestinian state, Germany finds itself increasingly isolated.

This week, Berlin will be under close scrutiny as the European Union weighs potential sanctions on "Israel", including trade restrictions and targeted measures against ministers.

Calls to recognize a Palestinian state grow louder

Berlin’s traditional approach, embodied in former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s framing of "Israel’s" security as part of Germany’s Staatsraeson, is being challenged within the political elite.

Christoph Heusgen, Merkel’s former advisor and a former ambassador to the UN, recently called for a shift in German policy, warning that "Israel" risks becoming an "apartheid state" and urging Berlin to recognize a Palestinian state.

Mariam Salehi, an international politics researcher at Berlin’s Free University, noted that pressure is mounting “from political partners within the European Union... but also from civil society within Germany and internationally.”

The reassessment extends to how Germany interprets its historical responsibility. “As it is currently interpreted, (Germany's) responsibility is assumed towards the state of Israel,” Salehi said. “But it could also be interpreted differently—as a responsibility towards international law and ensuring that genocide never happens again.” 

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Public opinion and street protests in Berlin

Public sentiment in Germany is also shifting. On Saturday, tens of thousands marched through Berlin demanding an end to "Israel’s" military campaign in Gaza.

The protests are part of a broader trend. According to a ZDF poll, 76% of German voters believe that "Israel’s" actions in Gaza are unjustified. A separate YouGov poll found that 62% of voters believe those actions amount to genocide.

Germany has so far avoided using the term “genocide” in reference to "Israel’s" offensive, even after a United Nations investigation applied it. Nonetheless, the growing public discontent is forcing the government to take a more cautious approach.

EU considers sanctions as Berlin hesitates

The European Union is reportedly preparing a series of measures that could curb trade ties with "Israel" and sanction individual ministers involved in the war on Gaza.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz, under mounting domestic and international pressure, announced in August that Germany would restrict weapons exports to "Israel". The move marked a significant departure from Berlin’s historical policy and was applauded by left-wing parties.

Merz’s decision to limit arms sales was met with strong backlash from the right, particularly from the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party to his own CDU.

“We are serving a narrative of perpetrator-victim reversal in Israel, which in my view does not do justice to the overall situation,” said CSU foreign policy spokesperson Stefan Mayer.

The German-Israeli Society condemned the embargo decision as “a victory for Hamas in the global propaganda war.”

Criticism from German politicians and experts

Historian Rene Wildangel sharply criticized Berlin’s current approach. Referring to Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul’s UN General Assembly statement that Gaza is "hell on earth," Wildangel said, “Germany is doing far too little to end this hell. Germany must no longer turn a blind eye to this.”

Despite mounting calls for action, Merz confirmed that Berlin does not currently plan to recognize a Palestinian state, setting it apart from many of its Western allies.

The chancellor is expected to clarify Germany’s position during the upcoming EU Council meeting in Copenhagen on October 1, where the bloc may finalize its approach to sanctions on "Israel".