Dispute in Berlin coalition over Israel's settlement policy
SPD foreign policymakers distance themselves from CDU Foreign Minister Wadephul, who rejects EU sanctions over Israel's settlement policy. In the EU deliberations on punitive measures against Israeli settlers, Germany is blocking. The conflict weighs on the federal government's Middle East line.
Der Spiegel and Die Zeit report that SPD foreign policymakers criticized Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) for his stance in the EU deliberations. The EU foreign ministers discussed sanctions against Israeli settlers and trade in goods from illegal settlements; Germany rejects such steps. The SPD politicians openly disagree and demand consequences regarding Israel's settlement policy. The sources are German and range from center-left to liberal (Spiegel, Zeit, Welt), and they mainly trace the rift within the coalition; Wadephul's official rationale features only briefly. The dispute reveals the growing tension between German solidarity with Israel and European pressure for sanctions.