It's a Go: The Feds Greenlight Arms Sales to Israel
nearly 4 million euros worth of armament exports to Israel
Berlin – The joint Union-SPD federal government has given the nod to arms deals worth approximately €3.986 million to Israel within the initial five weeks of their term. The Minister of Economics confirmed this in response to a query from the Left Party's Desiree Becker, details of which were obtained by the German Press Agency.
While this military equipment isn't weapons of war, it's prompted criticism due to Israel's military activities in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. This makes for the first time the new government has revealed the scale of such arms exports to Israel. Earlier, the Bundessicherheitsrat, the body responsible for arms exports, met behind closed doors when pressed for information by the media. However, the government has consistently provided details in response to parliamentary inquiries.
Modest Compared to Its Predecessor
The current administration's approval pales in comparison to the previous government. After the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, the traffic light coalition, and later the red-green government authorized arms exports worth nearly €500 million. In Q1 2025 alone, it was €28 million, making Israel the 10th most significant recipient of German arms industry exports.
ICJ Saga Continues
Discussion surrounding German arms deliveries to Israel has persisted for months. A lawsuit initiated at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague by Nicaragua even accused Germany of complicity in genocide due to the arms transfers. Although the ICJ dismissed an urgent application by Nicaragua to halt arms exports to Israel in April 2024, the lawsuit is still active.
The new government has increasingly voiced concern over Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, with the SPD advocating a halt to arms exports to Israel. However, the Union remains opposed.
Becker, a Left Party member, described the federal government's approval of €3.986 million in arms sales "as security-politically irresponsible and humanitarianly scandalous" amidst an intensifying war. Instead, "countless medicines and food" could have been dispatched to the Gaza Strip.
Legal Complications
The legal implications of these arms sales are complex. Critics assert that Germany may violate the Arms Trade Treaty and international law, as there's a substantial risk that these weapons could be used to commit war crimes or severe breaches of international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza. This raises potential criminal liability for officials involved in authorizing such exports.
As the ICJ deliberates, German arms exports to Israel have continued, with significant increases noted after the ICJ hearings. The outcome of this legal battle and the German government's response will have far-reaching consequences, both domestically and internationally.[1][4][5][2]
- The massive arms sales to Israel, amounting to €500 million, by the previous German government in response to terrorist attacks, is a stark contrast to the current administration's modest approval of approximately €3.986 million.
- The ongoing debate surrounding German arms deliveries to Israel has extended into the realm of politics and finance, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague investigating allegations of Germany's complicity in genocide due to arms transfers.
- The increased arms sales to Israel, despite legal complications and concerns over their use in conflict zones, have raised questions about Germany's adherence to international law and the Arms Trade Treaty, potentially leading to criminal liability for involved officials.
