Germany suspends military exports to Israel for use in Gaza

Last year, Germany was the second-largest supplier of arms to Israel, following the United States, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

By Grace Gilson, JTA

Germany is halting all military exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza, a quick response to Israel’s decision early Friday morning to expand its offensive in the enclave and an escalation in tensions between the two longtime allies.

“The even harsher military action by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, approved last night by the Israeli Security Cabinet, makes it increasingly difficult, from the German government’s perspective, to see how these goals are to be achieved,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday in a statement.

“Under these circumstances, the German government will not authorize any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice,” the statement continued, adding that Israel must “comprehensively and sustainably improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

While Merz stipulated that “has the right to defend itself against Hamas’s terror,” the decisive action marks a significant shift for him.

He faces significant pressure at home to address allegations of starvation in Gaza, which have spurred the United Kingdom and France to announce plans to recognize Palestinian statehood this fall.

Last year, Germany was the second largest supplier of arms to Israel following the United States, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

It was not immediately clear which supplies from Germany would be affected by the ban.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Merz following the announcement and said he “expressed his disappointment” with the country’s decision to embargo arms to Israel.

“Instead of supporting Israel’s just war against Hamas, which carried out the most horrific attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Germany is rewarding Hamas terrorism by embargoing arms to Israel,’ a statement from the Israeli government’s press office read.

Germany’s deep and until-now ironclad support for Israel stems from the country’s sense of responsibility over its Nazi past.

It was seen as a stark departure when Merz said in May, well after some of his peers had done so, that he believed the Gaza war could “no longer be justified.”

In June, he stood out in the other direction — for characterizing Israel’s attack on Iran “the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us.”