A senior official from Germany’s Christian Social Union (CSU) has ruled out the possibility of the German government imposing sanctions against Israel related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Martin Huber, General Secretary of the CSU, stated in remarks to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland that while criticism of the Israeli government is permissible, punitive measures between friends are unacceptable.
Huber addressed the recent travel bans imposed on Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir by countries including the Netherlands, which accuse them of advocating for ethnic cleansing in Gaza. He expressed skepticism regarding the imposition of such bans against a democratically elected government, emphasizing that doing so would severely damage the German-Israeli relationship.
Huber affirmed the German government’s commitment to alleviating the suffering experienced in Gaza. However, he underscored that resolving the conflict hinges on the actions of Hamas. He insisted that the organization must release the Israeli hostages taken in October 2023, disarm its weaponry and unequivocally recognize Israel’s right to exist.
“There can be no peace as long as forces in the Middle East seek to destroy Israel and Jewish life” Huber asserted, reiterating Germany’s continued support for Israel.
