Merz: Muslim immigrants who reject Germany's Holocaust responsibility "must leave our country"

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday that immigrants from Islamic countries are bound by Germany's historical responsibility for the Holocaust, and that anyone who refuses to accept it "must leave our country."

"This historical responsibility of our country applies just as much to those who come here to Germany from Islamic countries," Merz said at a Berlin Chancellery reception for German Jewish medal winners from this year's Maccabiah Games, according to the dpa news agency, as reported by The Times of Israel.

The remarks reportedly came after a Maccabiah basketball coach told Merz his Jewish players were afraid to wear their team jackets, which carry a Star of David, in public. Berlin alone recorded 2,197 antisemitic incidents in 2025, according to the RIAS monitoring group, still more than double pre-Oct. 7 levels.