Germany will not be joining a Western effort to recognise a Palestinian state, the German chancellor declared ahead of key initiatives planned for next month’s United Nations General Assembly.
Friedrich Merz was speaking at a joint news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday, who said last month that Canada planned to recognise the state of Palestine at the General Assembly, following similar announcements by France and Britain.
“The Canadian government and the Canadian Prime Minister are aware of the German federal government’s position with regard to the possible recognition of Palestine as a state. We will not support this initiative,” the German leader said.
When asked if the German government’s stance on recognition would change in light of Israel’s strikes in Gaza targeting journalists, Merz said: “We do not currently consider the conditions for state recognition to be met in any way, and as such, we remain divided on this issue. The events of the last few days and hours have not changed our stance.
“We will not follow this step if it appears on the United Nations General Assembly agenda in the late autumn. But once again, both governments are well aware of our differing views on this matter.”
Merz has also recently declined to back proposals from other EU states to suspend a key trade agreement with Israel or impose sanctions against far-right Israeli ministers.
Recognition of Palestine
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Although the German government has intensified its criticism of Israel in recent months over its blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its decision to expand the military campaign to occupy Gaza City, as well as announcing a partial freeze of arms exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza, Germany has remained the most reluctant of all Western powers to implement any type of meaningful sanctions.
It is widely believed that Germany shies away from harsh criticism or action against Israel due to fear of being associated to its history of antisemitic behaviour, which peaked during the 1930s and 1940s under Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party.
France, Malta, and Australia have announced plans to recognise a Palestinian state in September at the 2025 United Nations General Assembly, with Canada and the UK stating they will do the same subject to certain conditions.
Spain, Ireland and Norway have already formally recognised a Palestinian state, in what they say is an attempt to refocus attention on efforts to find a political solution to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Israeli leaders and supporters have lashed out at the initiative claiming recognition for any Palestinian state following the October 7 attack is “rewarding Hamas”.
As of August 2025, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 62,600 Palestinians have been killed by Israel. At least 80–90% of the deaths are estimated to be civilians, with many being women, children, and the elderly.
Germany’s support for Israel
German authorities have been accused in recent years by activists of being “assiduous in attacking the Palestine solidarity movement and supporting Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
In April 2024, the Palestine Assembly, a high-profile pro-Palestine conference in Berlin was broken up by hundreds of police officers.
British Palestinian rector of Glasgow University, Ghassan Abu Sitta, was stopped from entering Germany to attend the conference and deported back to the UK. He was later banned from entering the entire Schengen area.
Abu Sitta, a surgeon who volunteered in several Gaza hospitals since last year, was planning to deliver a speech on the horrific condition Israeli attacks have left the Strip’s health system in. A German court later overturned the ban.
Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis was also banned from entering Germany and prevented from even participating in the Congress via a video link.
German authorities said they targeted Abu Sitta, Varoufakis and others at the conference because they deemed their speeches “anti-Semitic” – a claim rubbished by the prominent pro-Palestine figures.
