Berlin: We will not sanction Israel

In an interview with Germany’s national radio, Thorsten Frei, Chief of Staff to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, stated that he personally cannot imagine the German cabinet’s deliberations moving toward sanctions against Israel based on frameworks such as the EU partnership agreement or trade relations.

Frei added that he advises Brussels to act “very, very cautiously” regarding the issue of sanctioning Israel.

Earlier, the parliamentary faction of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) coalition had announced plans to suspend Germany’s scheduled financial aid to the Palestinian Authority.