Germany’s Arms Exports to Israel: A Closer Examination
Recent revelations indicate that Germany’s arms exports to Israel have been significantly higher than previously reported by the government. New figures unveil that the German government has approved arms exports valued at €94 million since August alone. This comes in stark contrast to the government’s previous statement, which claimed that only €45 million worth of arms exports had been approved for the entire year up to October 13. These discrepancies raise concerns, particularly amidst speculation that the government had halted the approval of arms export permits altogether.
The updated data was disclosed in response to an inquiry from MP Sahra Wagenknecht of the left-wing nationalist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). The German government has faced criticism for allegedly obstructing arms export permits to Israel, especially as the country intensifies its military operations in the Gaza Strip against the militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the capital, Beirut.
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Germany’s primary opposition party, has accused the ruling coalition of completely blocking export applications from arms manufacturers. CDU leader Friedrich Merz pointed to earlier parliamentary inquiries that revealed only €14 million worth of arms deliveries were sanctioned from January to mid-August, a sharp decline from €326 million the previous year. Media reports have suggested that there were no approved arms export licenses to Israel between March and September of this year.
‘We have delivered weapons and we will deliver weapons’
In response to these allegations, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz firmly stated in parliament in October, “We have delivered weapons, and we will deliver weapons,” denying any cessation of arms exports to Israel.
Germany’s ongoing arms deliveries to Israel have sparked legal controversies. In April, Nicaragua filed a case with the International Court of Justice, accusing Germany of violating the United Nations Genocide Convention by supplying arms to Israel. Furthermore, in June, a group of five Palestinians initiated a lawsuit in a Berlin court, seeking to compel Germany to cease its arms exports to Israel, with backing from the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights. However, their case was dismissed by the Berlin administrative court.
Members of Chancellor Scholz’s “traffic light” coalition have addressed the contentious issue, asserting that the arms deliveries comply with international law. “Each individual case must be thoroughly examined. This is in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the European Union, and we are adhering to them,” stated Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
Related
- Are European countries still supplying arms to Israel?
- German government denies it suspended permits for arms exports to Israel
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, published by investigative outlet Forensic Architecture, Germany accounted for 47% of Israel’s total imports of conventional arms in 2023, second only to the United States.
