German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Germany will decide whether to support the European Union (EU) sanctions against Israel before the meeting in Copenhagen on October 1.
Speaking in Madrid with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Mr. Merz said that Israel's military actions in Gaza are "not commensurate" with the stated goals, but emphasized that Germany did not agree with the accusations that Israel was carrying out acts of genderlessness. He also affirmed that the issue of recognizing the Palestinian state has not been raised in Berlins current policy.
A day earlier, the European Commission had proposed suspending a trade deal with Israel, which could affect about 5.8 billion euros ($6.87 billion) in annual exports. However, the proposal is not yet well supported in the EU for approval.
Meanwhile, the Gaza Ministry of Health said that about 64,000 Palestinians have died since the conflict broke out. On September 18, the Israeli army continued to step up attacks on two gateway areas leading to the center of Gaza city, while completely cutting off phone and Internet lines in the Gaza Strip - a sign that the ground operation will escalate.
Germany's decision will have a big impact on the future of EU sanctions, as it has always played a key role in the bloc.
