Germany has paused new weapons exports to Israel amid ongoing legal challenges, according to a source within the Economy Ministry.
A senior government official indicated that the ministry has halted the approval process for arms export licenses to Israel due to legal and political pressure related to claims that these exports violate humanitarian law.
While the Economy Ministry has not commented, the German government released a statement following the publication of the Reuters report.
“There is no German arms export boycott against Israel,” government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said.
Last year, Germany approved arms exports to Israel worth 326.5 million euros ($363.5 million), including military equipment and war weapons, a 10-fold increase from 2022, according to data from the Economy Ministry, which approves export licences.
However approvals have dropped this year, with only 14.5 million euros’ worth granted from January to Aug. 21, according to data provided by the Economy Ministry in response to a parliamentary question.
Of this, the weapons of war category accounted for only 32,449 euros.
In its defence of two cases, one before the International Court of Justice and one in Berlin brought by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, the government has said no weapons of war have been exported under any licence issued since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, apart from spares for long-term contracts, the source added.
Media Source: Reuters
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