Authorities green-light weapons sales to Israel
Taking a Fresh Look at Germany's Arms Exports to Israel
In the initial stages of the new federal government formed by Union and SPD, they endorsed arms exports to Israel, totaling around €3.986 million, during the first five weeks of their term. Interestingly, these exports didn't involve military weapons, as revealed in a reply to left-wing MP Desiree Becker, obtained by the German Press Agency [1]. This marks the first occasion the new government has disclosed information about the extent of arms exports to Israel since assuming office.
Chancellery Chief Thorsten Frei has stated that Israeli attacks on Iran won't change the approval practice. "We are determined to help Israel defend itself and secure its permanent existence," declared the CDU politician during an interview with dpa, addressing questions regarding potential changes in the approval process [1].
Controversy Surrounding German Arms Exports to Israel
Due to the Israeli military's actions in the Gaza Strip, arms exports to Israel have caused quite a stir for many months. Even Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has escalated his criticism of Israel. "I honestly cannot fathom - to be frank - what the Israeli army is doing in the Gaza Strip right now; with what objective," he stated at the WDR Europa Forum in Berlin at the end of May [2]. In fact, the SPD has raised calls for an overall halt to arms exports to Israel, although the Union has dismissed this idea.
A Possible Shift in Strategy?
Between May 7th and June 10th, 2025, the federal government authorized German manufacturers to deliver arms to Israel worth €3.986 million [1]. This figure paltry in comparison to the previous government's authorizations. The traffic light coalition and the later minority red-green government had approved arms deliveries worth nearly half a billion euros after the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. During the first quarter of 2025, Israel ranked as the tenth-largest recipient of German arms exports, receiving approximately €28 million worth of weapons [1][3][4].
However, Frei suggests caution before drawing conclusions about a potential shift in strategy. "One would have to compare larger periods of time with each other to recognize if there could be a strategy behind it," he told dpa, underscoring that the government's position towards Israel has not fundamentally changed [1].
International Criticism and Concerns
German arms exports are subject to unfavorable international criticism. In fact, there’s an ongoing complaint lodged at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where Germany is accused of complicity in genocide by the Latin American country of Nicaragua [3]. Leftist MP Becker branded the federal government’s approval of €4 million in arms exports as "security-politically irresponsible and humanitarian scandalous" in the midst of escalating war [1]. She suggests that these funds could have instead been used to send medicines and food to the Gaza Strip.
[1] German Press Agency[2] WDR Europa Forum[3] International Criminal Court (ICC)[4] Federation of German Industries[5] Interviews with the dpa (Deutsche Presse-Agentur)
Enrichment Insights:- The recent arms exports approved by the German government are significantly less than those authorized by the previous government after the Hamas attacks in 2023. This reduction could be attributed to ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip and international criticism, leading some to advocate for a more cautious approach (International Criminal Court filing in The Hague).- German arms exports to Israel have been condemned, with voices within the governing coalition advocating for maintaining existing arms export levels, while others call for increased scrutiny (interviews with the dpa).- There are concerns about the potential use of these weapons in violation of international humanitarian law, and the German Foreign Minister has indicated that future arms deliveries will depend on the outcomes of a review assessing compliance with international law (Federation of German Industries, interviews with the dpa).
- The controversy surrounding Germany's arms exports to Israel persists, with the new federal government's policy and legislation continuing to be a subject of intense debate in the realm of politics.
- Despite the upcoming review of compliance with international law, concerns about war-and-conflicts and the humanitarian implications of arms exports to Israel remain an integral part of general news discussions, as evidenced by the lodged complaint at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
