DayofPal—Amnesty International staged a demonstration in central Berlin on Friday to oppose German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s planned weekend visit to Israel amid ongoing Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
Activists gathered in Pariser Platz, placing a replica tank in front of the Brandenburg Gate to demand an immediate halt to German arms exports to Israel. Protesters held signs reading, “Weapons are not welcoming gifts for war criminals” and “No weapons for war crimes in Gaza.”
Katja Muller-Fahlbusch, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa expert, condemned Merz’s decision to travel to Israel despite Israel’s genocidal policies in Gaza and continuous violations of international law.
“We are here to say clearly: no business as usual with Israel,” she said. “Merz’s visit sends a message that everything is normal in Gaza, that the situation has calmed down. But people are still suffering. The genocide continues, Israel’s war crimes continue every day—and that is why we are protesting.”
She also criticized the German government for lifting restrictions on arms exports to Israel, arguing that Germany has a legal obligation to impose a full arms embargo.
Calling Merz’s scheduled meeting with Israeli war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu “a scandal,” she noted that Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity. “He belongs in The Hague, not in diplomatic meetings,” she said.
Merz introduced limits on arms exports in August amid growing public pressure but reversed the decision last month, citing the October 10 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
He has repeatedly emphasized Germany’s “historical responsibility” toward Israel due to its Nazi past and the Holocaust.
However, recent polling suggests widespread public disagreement. A Korber Foundation survey found that 82% of Germans oppose military support for Israel’s war in Gaza. Only 15% support it.
The poll also showed a significant shift in public opinion regarding Germany’s historical obligations: 60% reject the idea that Germany bears a special responsibility toward Israel, while only 38% still support that view.
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