German opposition party, Die Linke (The Left), has criticised Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his planned trip to Israel this weekend, where he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Merz’s trip to Israel is a declaration of war on international law. He is meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu even though there is an international arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes. A meeting with an alleged war criminal is not a normal state visit,” said Left Party co-chair Jan van Aken.

He added that the resumption of German arms deliveries to Israel, which were suspended in August, was “a political scandal”.

Van Aken explained that no weapons should be delivered as long as Israel does not publicly support a separate Palestinian state.