Former German Official Robert Habeck Says Evidence Points to War Crimes in Gaza

Former German Deputy Prime Minister Robert Habeck, a Green Party politician, said in an interview with the German public broadcaster ARD that there is substantial evidence of war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s ongoing military operations. One report describes him as a former Deputy Prime Minister. The other describes him as a former Vice Chancellor who served from 2021 until 2025. Media reports on his remarks were released on a Monday, according to one of the sources.

The second report quotes Habeck as saying there is “plenty of evidence” that such crimes have occurred, and it says he accused Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza. The first report does not use the word “accused” but attributes to him the statement that substantial evidence exists. Habeck also said the situation in Gaza has gone “much too far in many places.”

Habeck said the fight against antisemitism in Germany must remain distinct from criticism of Israeli government policies. He also said the spread of antisemitism in Germany, particularly in left-wing circles, is largely driven by Israeli practices in Gaza. The second report goes further, saying he linked the recent rise in antisemitism to Israel’s actions and described the prevalence of antisemitism on the political left as a direct result of war crimes committed by the state. Keeping the two concerns separate, as he said they must be, is a lesson in speaking the truth carefully (Ephesians 4:15).

Habeck described Israel as a defensive state founded on preventing the violent elimination of Jews. The second report also quotes him calling Israel a “well-armed, combative, and in that sense also aggressive state toward the outside world.” The first report states that he stressed that the Israeli security doctrine had at certain points exceeded what was required in Gaza.

Habeck expressed reluctance to use the term “genocide,” citing German historical sensitivity related to Nazism and the Holocaust. The second report does not mention this point.

The second report, citing figures it attributes to media reports, states that since October 2023 the Israeli offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 73,000 people and the wounding of over 174,000. It also says the conflict has caused massive destruction, affecting approximately 90% of the civilian infrastructure in the region.