German opposition party slams chancellor’s planned to meet Netanyahu

Germany's opposition Left Party on Friday strongly criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his planned trip to Israel, where he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Merz's trip to Israel is a declaration of war on international law. He is meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu even though there is an international arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes. A meeting with an alleged war criminal is not a normal state visit," said Left Party co-chair Jan van Aken in Berlin.

Van Aken also added that the resumption of German arms deliveries to Israel was "a political scandal," saying Germany should not deliver arms as long as the Israeli government does not publicly support a political solution with a separate Palestinian state.

Merz plans to travel to Israel for his inaugural visit this weekend. The meeting with Netanyahu is scheduled for Sunday. Among other topics, talks will include the stabilization of the ceasefire in Gaza.

A staunch ally of Israel, the chancellor has repeatedly emphasized Germany's historical responsibility for Israel's security, rooted in its Nazi past and the Holocaust.

While he had criticized Israel's military campaign in Gaza at the late stage of the war and called for Tel Aviv to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, Merz had resisted opposition lawmakers' calls for an arms embargo, rejected proposals to suspend the EU-Israel trade agreement, and opposed recognizing a Palestinian state.