The parliamentary group leader of the Left party, Dietmar Bartsch, is calling for an immediate halt to German arms deliveries, citing the escalating situation in Gaza. In statements to RTL and ntv television channels, Bartsch emphasized a principle against weapons exports, particularly to regions experiencing crisis, explicitly including deliveries to Israel.
While acknowledging calls – including from within the Social Democratic Party – urging Chancellor Scholz to endorse a declaration by approximately 30 nations advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, Bartsch suggested Germany’s involvement in such an initiative would be less impactful. He believes the United States holds a more pivotal role in facilitating a resolution and expressed the need for increased pressure from Chancellor Scholz’s office directed towards Washington.
Bartsch distanced himself from some within his own party who have described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. He characterized the internal debate surrounding this terminology at the Left party’s recent conference as a misallocation of focus, arguing that such definitional disputes are not appropriate for party conventions.