Germany halts arms shipments to Israel amid civilian use concerns

Shafaq News/ US newspaper Politico reported, on Tuesday, that senior officials in Germany have refused to approve arms shipments to Israel, despite Berlin's announcement that it had not imposed a ban on arms exports to its ally.

According to unnamed sources, "Germany has demanded assurances from Israel that weapons imported from Berlin will not be used against civilians amid the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and Gaza."

This development follows reports that German officials denied approval for arms shipments until Israel guarantees that the weapons will not be used against civilians. Politico cited a source stating that "Germany could halt arms exports if it does not comply with international humanitarian law."

In September, Reuters reported that Germany had suspended licenses for any new arms exports to Israel. Last year, Germany approved arms exports to Israel worth €326.5 million (approximately $363.5 million), which included military equipment and weapons for warfare, marking a tenfold increase compared to 2022, according to data from the Ministry of Economy that oversees export licenses.

However, approvals for exports have declined this year. Data provided by the Ministry of Economy in response to parliamentary inquiries indicated that the value of German arms received by Israel did not exceed €14.5 million from January to August 21.

Of this amount, only €32,449 was classified as "war weapons."

A source close to the ministry reported that a senior government official stated that the approval process for arms export licenses to Israel has been halted pending resolution of legal issues claiming that such exports from Germany "violate humanitarian law."

The ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

The source added that the government has stated it has not issued any war weapons under any license since the attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, except for spare parts related to long-term contracts, while defending its position in two cases—one before the International Court of Justice and another in Berlin brought by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.

Thus far, no legal challenge to German arms exports to Israel has been accepted, including one filed by Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice.