Berlin – SABA:
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that Germany has “changed its rhetoric toward Israel,” adding that the next step may involve a shift in Berlin’s political practices. This comes in response to Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid entry into Gaza and the catastrophic deterioration of living conditions there, leading to famine.
In an interview with the local newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, Wadephul emphasized that “some actions of the Israeli government require criticism.”
He noted that both German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and himself have clearly expressed their views on these matters.
Wadephul attributed Germany’s shift in rhetoric regarding Gaza to the prolonged denial of humanitarian aid access to the enclave. He said that during his visit to Israel, he urged its government—on behalf of the German government—to rectify the situation, stating, “I was even ready to accept the proposed new distribution system for aid as a practical solution to the crisis.”
However, he observed that after nearly three weeks, the effort had failed, and the aid that did enter Gaza was “a drop in the ocean.”
Wadephul stressed that this issue is fundamentally about safeguarding basic human rights, noting that “the sick, the vulnerable, and children are the first to die.” As a result, he said, “we have changed our rhetoric, and in the next step, we will likely change our political practices as well.”
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