Pressure on Israel is mounting internationally and within Germany, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) parliamentary group is now calling for a significantly clearer stance.
A joint statement, penned by SPD foreign policy spokesperson Adis Ahmetovic and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Rolf Mützenich and reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung, urges Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) to join an initiative launched by the United Kingdom, supported by 27 other signatories, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza. This statement has the backing of the entire SPD parliamentary group.
Germany has previously adopted a more cautious approach to the conflict. The SPD strongly criticizes this reticence and is advocating for a policy shift within the government. While the German government has recently expressed increasing concern regarding Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, tangible consequences have not yet been implemented. The SPD politicians believe this needs to change, citing the catastrophic situation unfolding in Gaza.
Humanitarian organizations are reporting acute hunger, a lack of access to clean drinking water and inadequate medical care. Ahmetovic and Mützenich stated, “Reports of starving children and rapidly escalating famine indicate we have reached the much-cited ‘point of no return.'” While Israel recently approved an agreement intended to improve the humanitarian situation, the SPD politicians express skepticism regarding its sincerity, branding it “another empty promise from the Israeli government while people are dying.
The parliamentary group is therefore calling for clear and immediate action, arguing that “the unlawful occupation and the continued disregard for fundamental human rights leave no room for political interpretation”. Beyond joining the European initiative, they suggest placing existing cooperative agreements, such as the Association Agreement, on hold. Furthermore, they demand an immediate halt to the export of weapons to the Israeli government – weapons described as being “used unlawfully”.