Ex-advisor blames Israel stance for Germany's historic UN loss

Germany has failed in its historic bid to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, a stunning defeat that experts and officials are attributing to the country's controversial stance on the Gaza war.

Christoph Heusgen, a former UN ambassador and longtime foreign policy advisor to former Chancellor Angela Merkel, explicitly linked the failed vote to Berlin’s unwavering support for Israel. Speaking to public broadcaster RBB, Heusgen warned that Germany's refusal to condemn Israel's military actions in Gaza has severely damaged its global standing, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

"This application of double standards is, unfortunately, what we have now been accused of," Heusgen stated, adding that these perceptions directly contributed to Germany's failure to win the seat.

In the high-stakes vote at the UN General Assembly, Germany managed to secure only 104 votes—falling well short of the 127-vote threshold required for a two-thirds majority. Competing for the two seats allocated to the Western Europe and Others Group, Germany was soundly beaten by Portugal (134 votes) and Austria (131 votes).

The defeat marks a historic blow for Berlin, representing the first time Germany has ever lost an election for a seat on the UN’s most powerful body.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul openly conceded that the nation's foreign policy may have alienated other world governments. Wadephul noted that Germany's clear stances on both the Russia-Ukraine war and its "special responsibility for Israel" likely cost the country the crucial votes it needed to win.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada