Germany halts arms exports to Israel

Germany has paused new arms exports to Israel while it addresses legal and political challenges, according to a Reuters analysis and a source close to the Economy Ministry. The decision follows ongoing legal disputes arguing that such exports violate humanitarian law.

The Economy Ministry, which approves export licenses, has not publicly commented on the situation. However, following the Reuters report, German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit clarified, “There is no German arms export boycott against Israel.”

Last year, Germany authorized arms exports to Israel worth 326.5 million euros ($363.5 million), marking a tenfold increase from 2022, as per Economy Ministry data. Yet, approvals have sharply declined this year, with only 14.5 million euros worth of licenses granted from January to August 21, including just 32,449 euros for weapons of war.

The German government, defending itself against two legal cases—one at the International Court of Justice and another in Berlin led by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights—has stated that no weapons of war have been exported since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, except for spare parts related to long-term contracts.

This issue has sparked internal tensions within the German government. While the Chancellery continues to support Israel, the Economy and Foreign ministries, led by the Greens party, have faced criticism from their members and have increasingly criticized the Netanyahu administration.

The legal challenges in Europe have led other allies of Israel to reconsider their arms export policies. This month, Britain suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel over concerns about potential violations of international humanitarian law. In February, a Dutch court ordered the Netherlands to halt F-35 fighter jet parts exports to Israel due to their alleged use in attacks on civilian targets in Gaza.

Similarly, President Joe Biden’s administration temporarily paused but later resumed some bomb shipments to Israel, citing concerns about their use in densely populated Gaza, while continuing to approve other weapon types deemed essential for Israel’s defense.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders also announced he would introduce legislation next week to block the sale of offensive U.S. weapons to Israel. On the Senate floor, Sanders criticized the arms sales, stating, “Providing more offensive weapons to continue this disastrous war would violate US and international law.”

Alexander Schwarz, a lawyer at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, noted that the significant reduction in approvals for 2024 might indicate a genuine, though possibly temporary, reluctance to supply arms to Israel. “However, I would not interpret this as a conscious change in policy,” Schwarz added.