Germany has significantly reduced the arms export to Israel in recent months, in a move that Olaf Scholz's government insists does not constitute a suspension of the agreements, much less a boycott. Berlin is facing increasing pressure following court cases alleging German arms exports to Israel violate humanitarian law.
Scholz's spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, categorically denied Reuters' reports that the government had suspended the issuance of licenses. “There is no German boycott of arms exports to Israel,” he said in a statement after the exclusive was published on Wednesday evening. The figures, however, clearly indicate that the permits are not being granted.
The German government has not issued licenses to export war weapons to Israel since last March, according to answers given by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, which is responsible for authorizing the export of such goods, to questions from Bundestag member Sevim Dagdelen. left-wing populist party Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW).
From the beginning of the year until August 21, the Executive has issued licenses for the sale of war weapons worth 14.5 million euros, but of these, only 32,449 euros correspond to “war weapons”, the rest falling into the category of “other military equipment” – and the permits date back to January and February, according to data consulted by the DPA agency.
The amounts contrast with those of 2023. Last year, Berlin approved export licenses to the Jewish state worth 330 million euros. Israel's two main arms suppliers are: far from the rest, the United States and GermanyWashington gives Israel about 3.1 billion euros in military aid each year, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
“Weapons of war” are materials explicitly intended for war, i.e. rifles, missiles, warships, bombs or ammunition. The category “other military equipment” includes, for example, helmets, protective vests and personnel carriers. The data from the Ministry of Economy, which did not respond to EL PAÍS's requests for confirmation, comes from the answers to questions from MP BSW.
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Support for Israel
In Germany, Israel's security is a state issue. Historical responsibility for the Holocaust has led successive German leaders to support the Israeli government unconditionally. However, over the months, the coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals has come under increasing pressure to maintain a balance between military aid to Israel in the form of arms exports and zeal to prevent human rights violations. More and more voices are calling for a halt to the shipments.
After it became known that Berlin had stopped issuing licenses to send weapons to the Jewish state, it is likely that this issue will once again heat up the political debate, as it has happened in other countries. German media reports that the issue has caused friction within the government, as the Foreign Ministry maintains its support for Israel while the Ministries of Economy and Foreign Affairs, in the hands of the Greens, are increasingly critical of Netanyahu's government.
The United Kingdom became the first major Western ally a few days ago Israel suspends, albeit partially, arms sales to the Middle Eastern nation. The decision, announced by Foreign Minister David Lammy in parliament, involves the suspension of 30 export licenses out of the 350 currently granted. The suspension therefore affects less than 10% of the permits and will have few practical consequences, but will have great symbolic weight, as it is interpreted as a diplomatic blow to Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
The pressure on Berlin increased over the months. In April Nicaraguan dictatorship accuses Germany before the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) for “complicity in genocide” in Gaza. The government defended itself by claiming that 98% of the exports authorized since the Hamas attack on Israel were not weapons of war. The urgent request was rejected. Since then, several NGOs have filed lawsuits against the German government in an attempt to get the courts to stop these shipments.
Germany exported 10 times more weapons to Israel in 2023 than in the previous year, and most of the deals were approved in the midst of the war. Berlin exported 3,000 portable anti-tank systems and half a million rounds of ammunition for machine guns, submachine guns and other firearms. Sipri data shows that Israel also received two corvettes from Germany and dozens of engines for Merkava tanks in 2023. structural element of ground operations in the Gaza Strip.
The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), an independent human rights organization, has several lawsuits pending in German courts to prevent Berlin from sending more weapons to Israel. Last May, they requested, on behalf of five Palestinian plaintiffs, interim measures to prohibit additional arms export licenses, in particular 120-millimeter tank ammunition, as well as other types of ammunition and small arms used in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
“We have called for urgent legal protection for the plaintiffs, all of whom are currently in the besieged city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and are therefore in grave danger,” the organization said. “Furthermore, we demand greater transparency from the German government regarding its licensing procedures for arms exports. Only then will the plaintiffs be able to seek interim measures in court and safeguard their rights,” it added.