Cuneyt Karadag
24 July 2025•Update: 24 July 2025
BERLIN
Some German diplomats are reportedly voicing discomfort with the government’s policy on Israel, according to a report by newsweekly Der Spiegel posted Thursday.
Under the headline "Foreign Ministry revolt," the report said Germany’s approach to Israel has caused growing frustration among diplomatic staff.
Around 130 diplomats have formed internal chat groups calling on Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul to take a tougher stance on Israel.
Posters expressing solidarity with Gaza are reportedly displayed on the doors of certain offices and in the ministry cafeteria.
Most of those raising concerns are attaches, advisers, or deputy department heads in their thirties and forties who contribute to policy reports but are excluded from decision-making processes.
While older diplomats in senior ranks are said to prioritize defending state interests, younger officials argue that Germany should not treat Israel differently than it does authoritarian regimes in countries such as Myanmar.
Some diplomats have raised legal concerns over Germany’s military support for Israel, fearing it could lead to future accountability.
Citing international law, the diplomats warn that if the International Court of Justice determines that war crimes, crimes against humanity, or even genocide have been committed in Gaza, “Germany could be held responsible for contributing to these crimes by supplying weapons with full knowledge of their potential use.”
Former ambassador Martin Kobler, who previously served in Egypt and Pakistan, said a growing number of Foreign Ministry staff believe that “Germany’s national interests should never conflict with its commitment to international law.”
Kobler also noted that his colleagues were alarmed by Germany’s growing isolation among EU member states over its stance on Israel.
Last month, 13 former ambassadors released an open letter urging the German government to take a more restrictive position on arms exports and military cooperation with Israel.
The Foreign Ministry confirmed the existence of the internal chat group and said a meeting with Wadephul to discuss the diplomats’ concerns was under consideration.
