Authorities greenlight weapon sales to Israel
Here's a fresh perspective on the controversial arms exports from Germany to Israel:
Berlin - The Berlin-based federal government, composed of the Union and SPD parties, has greenlit arms sales to Israel totaling around four million euros in the initial five weeks of its tenure. The sales exclude weapons of war, as confirmed in response to an inquiry from Desiree Becker, an MP from the Left party, which was made available to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
As per Thorsten Frei, the CDU's chief at the Chancellor's Office, Israeli attacks on Iran won't change the approval practice. "Our goal is to empower Israel to defend itself and maintain its very existence permanently," Frei stated during an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur. "We feel a strong commitment to this, and it will remain a priority."
Controversy surrounds arms exports due to Israeli military tactics in Gaza
German arms exports to Israel have been a contentious topic for months due to the Israeli military's actions in Gaza. Recently, even Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) intensified his criticism of Israel. "Quite frankly, I can't fathom what the Israeli army is doing in Gaza and what their objective is," he stated at the WDR Europaforum in Berlin at the end of May. Some members of the SPD have even advocated for a complete halt to arms sales to Israel. However, the Union oppose this stance.
Limited approvals
According to the response from State Secretary Thomas Steffen, the German government authorized German manufacturers to deliver weapons to Israel valued at 3.986 million euros between May 7 and June 10, 2025.
The value is relatively low compared to the previous government. The traffic light coalition and the subsequent red-green minority government approved arms deliveries worth nearly half a billion euros following a Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel ranked 10th among Germany's most crucial recipient countries for the arms trade in the first quarter of 2025, with exports totaling 28 million euros.
No change in approach, according to Frei
Frei emphasized that the current situation is not directly comparable. "Comparing timeframes is necessary for a proper evaluation of whether there's a strategy at play," he told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. "In reality, Germany's stance towards Israel remains unchanged under the current federal government."
International criticism and a potential legal battle
The German arms deliveries have also sparked international controversy. Nicaragua has filed a lawsuit against Germany at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, charging Germany with complicity in genocide. Left party MP Becker deemed it "irresponsible from a security and humanitarian standpoint" that the government greenlit sales valued at four million euros amid escalating tensions. She suggested that more medical supplies and food could have been supplied to Gaza instead.
A shifting policy in the midst of escalating crises
The German Foreign Minister has announced a review of the country's arms export policy to Israel in light of the ongoing crisis in Gaza and growing humanitarian concerns. The minister implied that this may lead to partial suspensions or restrictions on future arms shipments. However, internal disagreements within the German government exist; while the Foreign Minister advocates for a cautious reassessment, the Interior Minister supports maintaining current arms shipment levels.
In summary:
- Germany has continued exporting sizeable quantities of military equipment to Israel, totaling approximately half a billion euros in arms since October 2023[1][3][5].
- The German government justifies these exports under a legal framework that emphasizes Israel's security requirements while upholding international law.
- Germany is currently reassessing its arms export policy to Israel to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law, with potential future restrictions hinted by the Foreign Minister[1][2][5].
- Internal debate within the German government exists regarding whether to persist or restrict arms shipments amid the ongoing Gaza crisis[5].
This situation reflects a delicate balance between Germany's historical and strategic alliances with Israel and growing international and domestic pressures to ensure that arms exports do not contribute to violations of international humanitarian law.
- The controversy surrounding German arms exports to Israel, particularly due to Israel's military tactics in Gaza, has sparked discussions in the realm of politics, policy-and-legislation, and general-news.
- The ongoing review of Germany's arms export policy to Israel by the Foreign Minister, amidst the escalating crisis in Gaza and humanitarian concerns, is a significant point of war-and-conflicts, politics, and policy-and-legislation news.
