German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sparked a diplomatic clash after condemning what he described as a 'de facto annexation' of Judea and Samaria by Israel. In a social media post, Merz said he had told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that such steps must not take place, expressing deep concern about developments in the Palestinian territories.

The remarks, published hours before Holocaust Memorial Day events, drew a sharp response from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Smotrich accused the German leader of moral hypocrisy and said Germany should instead bow its head and apologize for its past, rather than criticize Israel's policies.

Smotrich argued that European leaders have lost their moral clarity and defended Israel’s right to act against what he described as modern-day threats. He declared that Germany would not dictate where Jews may live, asserting that attempts to pressure Israel would not succeed and stating, 'You will not force us back into ghettos, certainly not in our own land.'