Several members of the SPD parliamentary group are calling for a tougher stance against the Israeli government. Adis Ahmetovic, the SPD faction’s foreign policy spokesman, told the magazine that “Israel’s government is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the Gaza Strip, ruthless settlement policies in the West Bank, and massive suffering of the civilian population in Lebanon”. He argued that the SPD must clearly label these ongoing breaches of international law if it does not want to face accusations of double standards.
MP Isabel Cademartori urged party leaders Lars Klingbeil and Bärbel Bas to adopt a clearer position on the Middle East conflict. She has long advocated for the party leadership to unambiguously state that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip are illegal under international law and that consequences must follow. She further stated that Germany should no longer obstruct any measures the EU may consider against the Israeli government, warning that “our lack of clear positioning costs the SPD credibility and reputation”.
Conversely, MP Markus Töns prefers to maintain the current party line. While he strongly disapproves of the Israeli government, even describing parts of it as fascist, Töns acknowledged that Israel faces perpetual threats. “If the Israelis laid down their arms, their state would soon cease to exist” he commented to the Spiegel.
