German Chancellor's October 7th message
On the third anniversary of October 7, Friedrich Merz vowed Germany will stand firmly with Israel, defend its right to exist and fight antisemitism every day
Assessment
Germany's chancellor just placed a marker on a politically volatile anniversary. Merz's promise to fight antisemitism daily and defend Israel's right to exist comes amid rising anti-Israel sentiment in Europe and a domestic far-right party gaining ground. The test will be whether his government walks that pledge with concrete action, or if this remains a ceremony.