Differing opinions on the U.S.-Israel strikes against Iran have emerged in Europe, with key Western allies standing strong with the United States, despite some voices bemoaning the escalation and calling for restraint.
Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, joint chairs of the AfD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, issued the following statement:
“We have noted with great concern the attacks by Israel and the USA on Iran. We call on all warring parties to exercise absolute restraint. The civilian population and civilian infrastructure must be protected. International law and international humanitarian law must be fully respected. The renewed destabilization of the Middle East is not in Germany’s interest and must be stopped,” wrote the party in a statement.
The AfD’s stance on Israel, one of the two main actors currently attacking Iran, has been at odds with many other European conservative parties, which are often extremely pro-Israel.
Last year, in a speech to the Bundestag, Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Tino Chrupalla called for an end to arms exports to both Israel and Ukraine, and said that Germany needs to put a stop to its “one-sided partisanship” when it comes to Israel. The move caused a sharp split within the AfD itself at the time, just as the most recent statement from Weidel and Chrupalla has sparked ample debate.
Meanwhile, other German parties have released statements about the conflict.
Green Party politician and former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemned the violence and any further military escalation in the region, calling it “extremely dangerous.” Baerbock is currently serving as president of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
“The UN Charter is clear: all Member States must settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered. They must also refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations,” she posted on X, calling on all parties to return to diplomacy and negotiations, as well as international law, to address issues such as Iran’s nuclear program and human rights violations.
Meanwhile, the CSU, which governs Germany in alliance with the CDU, has come out with a different stance. “The death of Ali Khamenei and other leaders of the Tehran terror regime is good news for the security of Germany and Europe,” CSU parliamentary group leader Alexander Hoffmann told Merkur.
“The American-Israeli military strikes did not come out of the blue, but were a determined response to the mullahs’ ongoing pursuit of the atomic bomb and the brutal terror against the Iranian population,” he continued.
Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz ( CDU), issued a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “We did not participate in these strikes, but are in close contact with our international partners, including the United States, Israel, and partners in the region. We reiterate our commitment to regional stability and to the protection of civilian life,” it reads. The statement also condemns Iran’s counterattacks and urges Iranian leadership to come back to the negotiating table, adding, “Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future.”
Merz also posted to X: “This is not the moment to lecture our allies, but to stand together in unity.”
The post Iran war: Germany’s AfD calls for warring parties to use ‘absolute restraint’ and respect humanitarian law, while Merz calls for ‘unity’ appeared first on Remix News.
Remix NewsRead More
R1
T1
