A new survey released on Tuesday showed 62 percent of German voters believe Israeli actions in Gaza constitute genocide, highlighting growing pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government to reassess its stance towards Israel.
The YouGov poll found the sentiment cuts across political lines. Sixty percent of voters from Merz’s CDU/CSU bloc called Israel’s war genocidal, while 71% of coalition partner SPD voters shared that view.
Government avoids the ‘G word’
While Chancellor Merz and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul have sharpened their criticism of Israel’s offensive and its blockade on aid, they have stopped short of using the term “genocide”.
Instead, Berlin has described Israeli attacks as a “disproportionate” use of force.
According to the survey, two-thirds of Germans now hold negative or somewhat negative views of Israel.
Only 19 percent expressed positive or somewhat positive opinions — marking a steep decline in recent months.
Palestinian statehood
The poll also revealed a significant gap between government policy and public opinion on recognising Palestinian statehood.
Despite Berlin’s opposition, 44 percent of German voters supported recognition, up from 41 percent in May 2025 and 40 percent in June 2024. Just 23 percent opposed recognition, with 33 percent undecided.
Germany has been left isolated after France, the UK, Belgium, Portugal and Malta announced recognition of Palestine, while Berlin maintains its refusal.
Merz has repeatedly argued that recognition should follow negotiations rather than precede them, citing Germany’s historical responsibility towards Israel.
He also opposed proposed EU sanctions against the Netanyahu government despite calls to end what UN investigators concluded is genocide in Gaza, where more than 65,500 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.
