Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday to express his disappointment with Germany’s decision to suspend the export of military equipment to Israel, according to the Prime Minister’s office.
“Instead of supporting Israel’s just war against Hamas, which carried out the most horrific attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Germany is rewarding Hamas terrorism by embargoing arms to Israel,” Netanyahu’s office wrote.
In a press release announcing the German government’s decision, Merz claimed the embargo on “offensive” weapons was in response to the Israeli Security Cabinet’s vote on Thursday to intensify military operations in the Gaza Strip.
The premier told Merz “that Israel’s goal is not to take over Gaza, but to free Gaza from Hamas and enable a peaceful government to be established there,” the Prime Minister’s office stated.
Israel hopes to create an “alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority” to run Gaza, Netanyahu said in an interview shortly before the Security Cabinet’s vote on Thursday.
“This will help free our hostages and ensure Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future,” he said.
