Ampel refuses to confirm halting weapon supply to Israel
Germany is a substantial supplier of arms, including to Israel. A probe by the BSW alliance in the German parliament suggests that Berlin is sending fewer weapons to Israel this year compared to previous times. However, there's no arms export ban in place, and the government is looking into the matter further, as stated by Economics Minister Habeck.
Contrary to some media reports, the German government denied imposing a ban on arms exports to Israel. A spokesperson for the economics ministry stated, "There is no ban on arms exports to Israel, and there won't be one." An additional government spokesperson confirmed, "There is no German weapons export embargo against Israel."
In response to a query from the BSW alliance in the German parliament, the German government announced a significant decrease in its exports of military weapons to Israel this year. According to sources, the approval process for weapons exports to Israel has been paused due to legal and political pressure.
The economics ministry spokesperson explained, "The federal government makes decisions on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific situation, foreign and security policy considerations, and adhering to legal and political guidelines. The federal government considers the observance of international humanitarian law in the case-by-case evaluation. Factors such as attacks on Israel by Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as the situation in Gaza, are all taken into account."
Habeck: Approval for defensive weapons
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck stated during a citizen dialogue of the "New Osnabrücker Zeitung" that a distinction should be made and a closer examination undertaken. Weapon systems essential for Israel's defense, such as maritime and air defense systems, should be approved promptly. Systems suspected of being used in the Gaza Strip, where there's a possibility that international humanitarian law may be disregarded, should be treated differently.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had previously stated in the "Lage der Nation" podcast of September 11 that Germany had supported Israel's self-defense efforts after October 7. Nevertheless, Germany cannot support actions that contravene international humanitarian law. "Consequently, no weapons exports have occurred after October 7 that could be used in Gaza and would violate international humanitarian law," explained Baerbock. According to her, Germany's arms exports to Israel include goods that enable Israel to intercept drones and rockets from Iran. "However, air defense systems can't destroy hospitals in Gaza," Baerbock added.
Germany authorized weapons exports to Israel worth €326.5 million in 2023, comprising military equipment and weapons of war. This represents a tenfold increase compared to 2022, as indicated by data from the economics ministry, which handles license approvals. Approval levels have declined to €14.5 million from January to August 21 in the current year, with €32,449 for the category of weapons of war, as further revealed by the BSW alliance's query.
Despite denials of an arms export ban, the approval process for weapons exports to Israel has been paused due to legal and political pressure. Nonetheless, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck advocates for prompt approval of defensive weapons systems essential for Israel's defense, such as maritime and air defense systems.
War with Israel is not currently a subject of discussion in the given text, but considering the context of arms exports and Israel's defense, a potential hypothetical scenario could be: "Given the paused approval process and the distinction between defensive and potentially controversial weapons, a war with Israel that requires intense military equipment could face delays or restrictions in supply from Germany."
