Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Germany’s decision to partially halt arms exports was driven by public and media pressure.
Speaking at a Jerusalem press conference on Sunday, Netanyahu called Chancellor Friedrich Merz “a good friend of Israel” but said he “buckled under the pressure of false TV reports, pressure, internal pressure from various groups.”
Merz rejected Netanyahu’s assessment. “I am not so much influenced by public pressure as by my own view, including Cabinet discussions and the consultations with our experts,” the German chancellor said in an interview with broadcaster German public broadcaster ARD.
On Friday, Merz announced a suspension of weapons deliveries that could be used in the Gaza Strip – hours after Netanyahu’s Security Cabinet approved a controversial plan to capture and occupy Gaza City, where over a million Palestinian civilians live.
Hamas fighters are reported to still hold bases and positions there.
The move represents a significant step for Berlin, which has been one of Israel’s strongest supporters since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks which triggered the Gaza war.
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