Berlin risks complicity in Gaza genocide, warns former German Envoy
Christoph Heusgen, Germany’s former ambassador to the UN and longtime adviser to ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel, has warned that Berlin could face accusations of complicity in genocide if it continues supplying weapons to Israel for use in Gaza.
In an interview with the Berliner Zeitung, Heusgen said, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“There is a real danger that if Germany supplies weapons to Israel that are used in Gaza, it will be convicted of aiding and abetting genocide. That would be a catastrophe.”
Heusgen drew a distinction between weapons for Israel’s defense against external threats, such as Iran, and those deployed in Gaza, stressing that the latter should be stopped immediately.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has already warned of a risk of genocide in Gaza, citing Israel’s failure to ensure humanitarian aid delivery. “On the contrary, people are starving,” Heusgen said, adding that the scale of Palestinian civilian deaths and injuries “cannot be justified.”
Facing growing domestic pressure, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government announced last month it would halt approval of new arms exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza. However, uncertainty remains over previously authorized deliveries.
While acknowledging Germany’s historic responsibility toward Israel, Heusgen said that duty also requires speaking out against misguided policies. He criticized Israel’s recent attack on Qatar and warned the country was isolating itself internationally.
Heusgen further called for a fundamental shift in German foreign policy, including recognizing Palestine as a state, in line with France, the UK, Belgium, and other European partners. “More than three-quarters of UN member states have recognized Palestine. Germany should reconsider its position,” he said.
Heusgen, who chaired the Munich Security Conference until February 2025, served as Germany’s UN envoy from 2017 to 2021 and as Merkel’s chief foreign policy adviser for over a decade.
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