In the long term, what we need are diplomatic initiatives to reach a negotiated solution and in cooperation with regional partners. In the short term, this could be secured by means of an international mission in Gaza. The German Federal Government and the EU must must actively support these efforts.

The German government must stop supplying Israel with the types of weapons being used in Gaza until the conflict has been settled. This does not apply to weapons intended to maintain Israel’s deterrence capabilities, however.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) plays an important role in providing normative guidance in the Gaza–Israel conflict. The German government must urge for compliance with the decisions and rulings issued by the ICJ.

Although negotiations are unlikely to take place in the foreseeable future, we must begin preparations now. This means gaining international support, preparing specific issues and compromise solutions, and agreeing on reliable security guarantees for Ukraine.

The German government must develop guidelines for dealing with coup leaders and autocrats who are seeking to abolish or undermine democracy, as seen recently in West Africa. Abrupt suspension of development cooperation places important partners at risk, especially those from civil society.

Increasing arms expenditure ties up enormous resources. In this context, it is essential not to lose sight of Germany’s peace infrastructure in areas such as civil conflict resolution and sustainability transformation.

Effective arms control policy must counter the risks of escalation inherent in nuclear deterrence by improving the credibility of nuclear guarantees through mutual risk management.

The government is called on to guarantee the independence of rule of law institutions such as the German Federal Constitutional Court. Beyond legal instruments, a strong democratic opposition as well as an active civil society are the best form of protection.