JERUSALEM — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday declared that Berlin has no intention of recognizing an independent Palestinian state “in the foreseeable future,” doubling down on a policy that has drawn sharp domestic and international criticism amid Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza. Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press conference in Jerusalem, Merz emphasized that such recognition should cap — rather than kickstart — peace negotiations, even as a fragile ceasefire in Gaza hangs in the balance following its implementation in October.
“What matters now is implementing this peace plan step by step, and none of us knows today what the outcome will be. Because this is the case, the federal government, unlike other European states, has refrained from recognizing a Palestinian state at this early stage. We will not do so in the foreseeable future either,” Merz stated. He added, “The German federal government remains of the opinion that recognition of a Palestinian state should come at the end — not the beginning — of such a process (peace negotiations).”
The remarks, delivered on December 7, 2025, came during Merz’s first official visit to Israel as chancellor, a trip that underscored Berlin’s unwavering alliance with Jerusalem despite mounting global scrutiny over Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Merz, who assumed office in late 2024 after his center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) triumphed in snap elections, has positioned himself as a staunch defender of Israel’s security, invoking Germany’s historical responsibility stemming from the Holocaust. “A two-state solution can only be achieved through negotiations,” he reiterated, framing the path forward as one rooted in dialogue rather than unilateral gestures.
Merz’s visit occurred against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, 2025, brokered by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar after 13 months of devastating conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. The deal, which included the release of remaining hostages and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces, has faltered amid mutual accusations of violations. Israeli airstrikes resumed sporadically in late November, killing at least 47 Palestinians in a single raid on a Rafah displacement camp, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Netanyahu, in response to Merz’s queries on advancing to the ceasefire’s second phase — which envisions a permanent end to hostilities and reconstruction — expressed optimism for “very important conversations” by month’s end but voiced skepticism about deploying an international force to disarm Hamas.
The Gaza war, which has claimed over 43,000 Palestinian lives by UN estimates as of December 2025, has fueled allegations of genocide and ethnic cleansing against Israel. A September 2025 report by a United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, citing four of the five acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention, including killing members of the group and imposing conditions calculated to bring about its physical destruction. Human Rights Watch, in a December 2024 assessment that remains relevant amid ongoing aid blockades, accused Israel of the crime of extermination through deliberate deprivation of water and essentials, exacerbating famine risks for 2.2 million residents. Critics, including Amnesty International, have pointed to forced displacements — over 1.9 million Palestinians uprooted since October 2023 — as evidence of ethnic cleansing policies aimed at altering Gaza’s demographic makeup.
Germany’s refusal to budge on state recognition places it at odds with a growing chorus of European allies. In September 2025, during the 80th UN General Assembly, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Andorra formally recognized Palestine, bringing the total to 156 countries worldwide — over 80 % of UN members. Earlier that year, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, and others joined, citing the need to bolster Palestinian aspirations amid stalled talks. Within the EU, 11 of 27 member states now recognize Palestine, including Ireland, Spain, and Sweden, which moved in May 2024 to pressure Israel on settlement expansions. Berlin, however, has consistently argued that premature recognition could undermine negotiations, a stance echoed by the Netherlands, Austria, and Hungary.
Merz sought to balance his remarks by affirming Germany’s commitment to a “new Middle East” where Israel is secure and a Palestinian state emerges alongside it. “We are convinced that the prospective establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel probably offers the best prospect for this future,” he said, while announcing €500 million in additional humanitarian aid for Gaza and technical support for ceasefire monitoring, including deploying German officers and diplomats. Netanyahu reciprocated by assuring Merz that Israel has no plans to annex the West Bank, though he stopped short of endorsing a timeline for statehood.
Back home, Merz’s position has intensified a rift within German society. As a key backer of Israel — supplying €326 million in arms exports since October 2023 despite a brief 2024 embargo — Berlin has faced accusations of “blind loyalty” that stifles dissent. In October 2025, nearly 200 intellectuals, legal scholars, and foreign policy experts penned an open letter urging the government to overhaul its pro-Israel tilt, prioritizing international law over historical guilt. The missive, signed by figures like philosopher Jürgen Habermas and former diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger, decried the “repression of pro-Palestine voices” and called for halting arms sales and imposing sanctions on Israeli officials implicated in war crimes. It echoed a broader wave of activism, including a parallel October 2 letter from over 150 Middle East experts demanding a policy reassessment.
Public protests have swelled, with 150,000 marching in Berlin on November 29 against what organizers termed “genocidal complicity.” Polls from the Körber Foundation in November 2025 revealed a stark generational divide: while 68 % of Germans over 60 support Israel’s actions, only 32 % of those under 30 do, with 55 % favoring recognition of Palestine. The Green Party and Social Democrats, junior partners in Merz’s coalition, have pushed for a softer line, with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warning in a Bundestag speech last month that “unconditional support risks isolating Germany in Europe.”
Internationally, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas hailed the EU recognitions as a “diplomatic earthquake” but lambasted Germany’s stance as “obsolete,” urging Merz to visit Ramallah during his Middle East tour — a request Berlin declined. In contrast, Netanyahu praised Merz as a “true friend,” crediting German mediation in hostage releases. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, speaking in Brussels on Monday, expressed regret over the divergence, noting that “recognition is not a reward but a right” and calling for unified pressure on Israel to resume talks.
As the second phase of the ceasefire looms — potentially involving multinational patrols and Hamas’s demilitarization — analysts warn that Germany’s isolation could weaken Europe’s leverage. The International Crisis Group, in a December report, argued that Berlin’s approach “perpetuates a status quo of occupation,” recommending conditional aid tied to settlement freezes. For Merz, navigating this minefield is personal: his CDU roots in Holocaust remembrance clash with rising youth radicalization, including a 25 % spike in antisemitic incidents since 2023, per the Federal Criminal Police Office.
Yet Merz remains resolute, telling reporters post-conference that “security for Israel is non-negotiable, and peace for Palestinians must follow suit.” As winter deepens in Gaza’s ruins — where 90 % of homes are damaged and aid convoys face daily harassment — the chancellor’s words echo hollowly for many. In a region where ceasefires crumble like sandcastles, Germany’s “foreseeable future” may stretch longer than anyone anticipates, leaving the two-state dream deferred once more.
