German Prime Minister Angela Merkel faced criticism last week after she announced that "Germany will not take part in military action" against Syria in response to a recent chemical weapons attack on civilians. While France and Britain were on board with the U.S.-led retaliatory strike, Merkel emphasized that despite not taking action, "we see and support that everything is done to send a signal that this use of chemical weapons is not acceptable."
That apparently wasn't enough for the Trump administration, which reportedly tried to "shame Merkel's government into helping," Bloomberg Politics writes based on a conversation with a U.S. official. Bloomberg adds that the White House specifically argued that "Germany of all nations should be appalled by the use of chemical weapons on civilians."
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz also ran an article that echoed the sentiment: "Seventy years after the Holocaust, Merkel evidently considers pacifism more important than children being murdered with gas," writer Ofer Aderet slammed.
Following targeted action by the U.S., U.K., and France on Friday, Merkel confirmed the airstrikes were "necessary and appropriate."