In a newly released podcast, Angela Merkel reaffirmed that Israel’s existence remains embedded in Germany’s Staatsräson and said Israeli government policies remain open to criticism.
In an episode of the German podcast Kaffee und Fluchen published Friday, Nov. 13, at 2:30 a.m. ET (07:30 UTC), Merkel described Israel’s continued existence as part of Germany’s Staatsräson, or core national commitment. She said criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was permitted, adding, “Criticism is not prohibited at all.” Merkel said she had criticized Netanyahu’s government while she was chancellor.
Merkel discussed that commitment alongside security concerns. She named Iran, Hamas and other actors as practical threats to Israel’s existence and characterized Oct. 7 as a Hamas attack on Israel. She also recalled Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza and said Hamas later took control of the territory.
On Gaza, Merkel said public discussion should address civilian suffering, particularly food supplies. She described some aspects of the situation as disproportionate while acknowledging the difficult security challenge facing Israel’s prime minister. Her comments addressed both the security concerns she raised and the effects on civilians she said warranted scrutiny.
Merkel also questioned how public attention is distributed among conflicts, saying Israel receives more discussion than Yemen or Sudan. She cited millions of children going hungry in Yemen as an example of a crisis she believed deserved more notice. She argued that discussion of those situations should not be eclipsed by attention to Israel.
The comments echo a position Merkel set out while in office. In a March 18, 2008, address to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, she connected Germany’s historical responsibility with Israel’s security and said that security was “never negotiable.”
