The restrictions that the German government introduced to the export of weapons to Israel in early August resulted in no new supplies approved in the first five weeks after the decision was taken. In response to the request of MEP Ulrich Toda from the left, the Ministry of Economy said this, writes TASR according to Thursday’s DPA report.
- Germany has introduced restrictions on weapons export to Israel.
- The decision influenced the supply of a military component.
- Exports were stopped due to conflict situations in the region.
- Merza’s government assesses the applications individually according to security aspects.
- Various organizations criticize military intervention in the Gaza region.
Response to planned taking control of the city of Gaza
The cabinet of Friedrich Merza, 8th August, announced that Germany will temporarily ban its companies to deliver military equipment to Israel. The government has taken the decision in response to the then planned takeover of the control of Israel over the city of Gaza.
Berlin said that from August 8 to September 12, he did not grant new arms export permits and that each case is assessed individually taking into account the issues of foreign and security policy and legal matters. At the same time, he confirmed his commitment to protect Israel.
Merz changes politics
The imposed limits for exports relate to military material that Israel could use in the war in the Gaza Strip. According to DPA, Merz indicated a change in German policy towards the Jewish state. Criticism of the Cabinet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been heard from the Federal Government before, but Berlin avoided concrete measures, the German agency said.
After the Hamas attack on Israel, October 7, which triggered a war in the Gaza Strip, the German government led by the then office of Olafa Scholza at first increased weapons exports to Israel and approved supplies of nearly € 500 million. For Merza, the export continued briefly – in his first five weeks in office, deliveries for almost four million euros were approved.
Netanyahu: Germany rewards Hamas
He criticized Netanyahu’s export restrictions on Germany and accused him of rewarding Hamas for his attacks. The Left Party urges Merzo’s government to stop all the export of weapons to Israel and terminate military cooperation with him. If it does not, according to the left, the risk of complicity in violations of international law against Palestinian civilians.
The Israeli army has been intensifying its attacks on Palestinian territory in recent times and also announced last week the official start of a new offensive in Gaza, where, according to international organizations, famine. According to Israeli media, more than 500,000 people have left the city since the beginning of September. The militant Hamas movement questioned this figure, claiming that there were less than 300,000. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain in Gaza.
