Former German chancellor Angela Merkel could be considered to be a strong supporter of Israel, but one who has been on record criticizing specific Israeli government policies with which she does not agree.
Which makes her latest comments all the more significant.
Appearing Friday on the KAFFEE UND FLUCHEN podcast, Merkel demonstrated something increasingly rare in discussions about Israel: the ability to criticize Israeli policies without losing sight of who started this war, what Israel is up against, and why the Jewish state is so often subjected to wildly disproportionate scrutiny.
Merkel began by reaffirming that Israel’s right to exist is part of Germany’s raison d’état – its fundamental national interest:
Germany's Merkel:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 13, 2026
Israel's right to exist is part of Germany's raison d'état.
I must always keep in mind how I can help ensure that the State of Israel continues to exist and, preferably, can also live in peace. pic.twitter.com/rUpZAiLe7W
This does not mean, she stressed, that Israel or the Netanyahu government is beyond criticism. Merkel herself has criticized Israeli governments in the past and believes there are aspects of Israel’s conduct in Gaza deserving of criticism. But unlike so many others, she does not allow that criticism to erase the wider context.
Merkel questioned the disproportionate focus on Israel compared with other humanitarian catastrophes around the world, pointing specifically to Yemen and Sudan:
Germany's Merkel on Israel:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 13, 2026
If you look at how much is said about Yemen, where millions of children are starving, how much is said about Sudan, and how much is said about Israel, then there is also a certain disproportionality in having virtually no discussion about other… pic.twitter.com/npm6tFjL7n
She also acknowledged the extraordinarily difficult predicament Israel faces in fighting Hamas – a terrorist organization that embeds itself among civilians and operates from beneath civilian infrastructure:
Germany's Merkel on Israel:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 13, 2026
If you try to put yourself in the position of an Israeli prime minister, it is an incredibly difficult task.
If there is a bunker beneath every kindergarten and every hospital, and Hamas is sitting there, knowing that I can only destroy its position… pic.twitter.com/POBxkBNRWf
And while expressing sorrow over civilian suffering in Gaza, Merkel also raised another uncomfortable point that tends to disappear from much of the international conversation: the relative lack of public criticism of Hamas from within Gaza, despite Hamas having launched the October 7 massacre and brought devastating consequences upon Gazans themselves:
Germany's Merkel criticizes Palestinians for "not confronting" Hamas:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 13, 2026
What surprises me is that we have heard very, very few people from the Gaza Strip critically confronting Hamas. pic.twitter.com/cCnNBOLMwf
Merkel’s position is noteworthy precisely because she is not arguing that Israel is above criticism. She is demonstrating what legitimate criticism actually looks like: acknowledge Israel’s mistakes where you believe they exist, while also acknowledging October 7, Hamas’ responsibility, the realities of fighting an enemy embedded among civilians, and Israel’s fundamental right to defend its existence.
At a time when so much criticism of Israel requires pretending none of that context exists, it is refreshing to hear a former leader of Germany – a country that knows better than most where demonization of Jews can lead – refusing to abandon either historical responsibility or moral perspective.
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© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025
