BERLIN, Sept 19 (Askume) – Germany has stopped exporting new war weapons to Israel to deal with legal challenges, according to a Askume data analysis and a source close to the German economy ministry.
A source close to the Defense Ministry quoted a senior government official as saying that the ministry has halted the review of Israeli arms export licenses due to legal and political pressure from the legal case, arguing that Germany’s arms export licenses violate the provisions of the Israel Defense Forces export license.
The Economy Ministry said on Thursday that there is no and will not be any ban on arms exports to Israel, as the decision will be made after a careful case-by-case review. The ministry said international law, foreign affairs and security policy were key factors in their evaluation.
Commenting on the report on Wednesday, a government spokesman said: “Germany has not initiated any arms export boycott against Israel.”
Germany approved arms exports worth 326.5 million euros ($363.5 million) to Israel last year, including military equipment and war weapons, more than 10 times the amount it exported, according to export licences data approved by the Economy Ministry.
However, figures provided by the Economy Ministry in response to a parliamentary question showed the number of approvals had fallen this year, with only €14.5 million worth of approvals granted from January to 21 August.
Of these, the combat weapons category’s share was only 32,449 euros.
In its defence to two cases, one brought by the International Court of Justice and the other by the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights in Berlin, the government said that since 7 October Hamas attacked Israel , it had in accordance with long-term contracts not to export any weapons of war other than surplus arms held under any licence.
More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, according to the Hamas-controlled local health ministry. This has displaced most of its 2.3 million people, created a famine crisis and brought charges of genocide to the World Court, which Israel rejects.
Cases challenging German arms exports to Israel have not been successful, including a case brought by Nicaragua to the International Court of Justice.
German government divided on arms exports
But the issue has sparked conflict within the government, with the prime minister’s office continuing to support Israel while the Green Party-led economy and foreign ministries, sensitive to criticism from party members, have grown increasingly critical of Netanyahu’s government.
Other allies of Israel have also halted arms exports amid legal challenges across Europe.
Britain this month suspended 30 of its 350 arms export licences to Israel over concerns that Israel was violating international humanitarian law.
In February this year, a Dutch courtThe Netherlands was ordered to stop exporting all parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel over concerns they could be used to attack civilian targets in Gaza.
President Joe Biden’s administration halted some bomb shipments to Israel this year because of US concerns about their use in the densely populated Gaza Strip, but has since resumed them.
US officials say Israel needs the ability to defend itself, and approval and shipment of other types of weapons and more precise systems continue.
Alexander Schwartz, a lawyer at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, which has filed five lawsuits against Berlin, said the sharp drop in approval rates for 2024 showed there was a genuine reluctance to supply arms to Israel, although it could be temporary.
“However, I would not interpret this as a conscious policy change,” Schwartz said.
(1 USD = 0.8981 EUR)
