Germany’s Israel Doctrine Cracks

Friedrich Merz imposed a partial arms embargo on Israel—limited to equipment usable in Gaza—despite campaigning on strong support for Israel. The move reportedly came under pressure from Social Democratic coalition partners and sparked an unprecedented CDU/CSU revolt. It suggests postwar German backing for Israel is politically fragile and subject to coalition bargaining. — If Germany’s pro‑Israel consensus can flip under domestic pressure, European policy toward the conflict may hinge more on internal coalition deals than on consistent strategic doctrine.