"Questionable and Controversial" German Government Allows Arms Sales Worth €4 Million to Israel, Amid Escalating Conflict
Federal Administration Grants Authorization for Four Million Euro Worth of Weapons Exports to Israel
Whether you're on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, or reading it Emailed or in Print, this news remains shocking. In a move that has sparked outrage, the newly formed German government comprising the Union and SPD has given the green light to arms sales to Israel worth approximately €4 million in the initial five weeks of their term. The revelation was made in response to a request from the Left Party's Bundestag member Desiree Becker, provided by the German Press Agency.
From May 7 to June 10, 2025, Germany consented to deliver military equipment worth €3,986 million to Israel, which, it's essential to note, is under fire for its military actions in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Surprisingly, these arms exports exclude weapons of war, according to the Ministry of Economics. This marks the first time the newly established government has disclosed the exact extent of their arms exports to Israel.
Previous governments, such as the traffic light coalition and the red-green minority government, had approved arms sales totaling nearly half a billion euros after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. In the first quarter of 2025, it was €28 million. Israel ranked as the tenth most significant recipient country of the German arms industry in its entirety1.
Discussions surrounding German arms deliveries to Israel have been ongoing for months5. In fact, a lawsuit challenging Germany's alleged involvement in genocide is underway at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, filed by the Latin American nation of Nicaragua5.
Just recently, the new government has revved up its criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. There have been calls from the SPD for an immediate halt to arms exports to Israel, while the Union remains advocates of the current policy5. Critics, particularly Becker, deem this move "security-politically irresponsible and ethically troubling," given the escalating situation in the Gaza Strip. The concern is that these funds could have been allocated towards delivering much-needed medical supplies and food to the region1.
Despite the ongoing controversy and criticism, the recently formed German government, composed of the Union and SPD, continues to support an employment policy that includes arms sales to Israel. This policy, heatedly debated on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Emails, and Print media, is currently under scrutiny due to the escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip. The policy shift, allowing arms sales worth €4 million, has been met with intense opposition from parties such as theLeft Party, who view it as irresponsible and troublesome in the context of general-news and crime-and-justice issues.
