During a joint press conference with Sanchez, Merz said that the two governments had "divergent views" on the war in Gaza and had reached "different conclusions" about the situation. He noted that "Berlin stands firmly with Israel," but that its military response in Gaza was "disproportionate," as he described it.
"Criticism of the Israeli government should be allowed, but we must never allow it to be used to incite hatred against Jews," he continued, adding that he and Sanchez agreed on this point.
But unlike Sanchez, Merz avoided describing the Israeli attack on Gaza as "genocide," explaining that Germany currently does not intend to recognize a Palestinian state, as Spain did, and that "this is not on our agenda."
Regarding the proposed European sanctions on Israel, Merz said that Germany will determine its final position in the coming days and present it during the European Union Council meeting on October 1 in Copenhagen.
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In contrast, Sanchez expressed his full support for the sanctions proposed by the European Commission against Israel, warning that Tel Aviv's offensive in Gaza would make it "even more isolated."
Last Monday, Sanchez called for Israel to be banned from international sporting events due to the war in Gaza, which the United Nations has confirmed has triggered a famine.
Spain is one of Europe's most vocal critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the war he has been waging against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.
