Further sanctions on Israel are “not necessary,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Wednesday, as Berlin’s position on the war in Gaza continued to drift from its Western partners.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has outlined a package of sanctions on Israel, including ending trade concessions and targeting far-right ministers, in response to the ongoing Israeli operation in Gaza.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz intends to announce Germany’s position on the sanctions before an informal EU council meeting in Copenhagen on October 1 following consultations within his coalition government.
“We will look at this again next week, but at the moment I believe that we have taken effective measures so far and that further measures are not necessary,” Wadephul told Deutschlandfunk radio.
In early August, Merz announced a ban on German arms exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza, justifying the move based on the impending offensive in Gaza City.
The full offensive was launched last week, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing the city as humanitarian organizations warn of catastrophic conditions for civilians.
The move has prompted Western countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Australia to recognize a Palestinian state in recent days, joining the majority of UN member states in doing so.
But Berlin and Italy continue to oppose an immediate recognition, with Wadephul stating that the step should be taken after a two-state solution is found.
The foreign minister said unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state “only hardens the Israeli position.”
