German war weapons exports to Israel down since start of the year

Berlin: The German government has hardly authorised any war weapons exports to Israel since the beginning of the year, according to newly released information.

From the beginning of the year to April 10, the German government authorised deliveries of war weapons worth €32,449 ($34,600), the Economy Ministry said in response to a question from Bundestag member Sevim Dağdelen from the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW).

In addition, deliveries of other military equipment worth €10.03 million were authorised.

Israel received €326.5 million worth of arms exports from Germany this year - around 10 times as much as in the whole of 2022 at €32 million.

This included war weapons worth €20.1 million, including 3,000 portable anti-tank weapons and 500,000 rounds of ammunition for machine guns, submachine guns and other fully or semi-automatic firearms.

The majority of these were issued following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, according to earlier information from the ministry. Components for air defence systems and communications equipment were the main exports.

Nicaragua is accusing Germany before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague of aiding and abetting genocide in the Gaza Strip by supplying weapons to Israel. Germany has rejected the complaint as unfounded.

The ICJ, the highest UN court, is currently examining whether the lawsuit is even admissible.

According to figures from Germany's Economy Ministry, no more licences for war weapons exports to Israel were issued between the beginning of March and April 10.

In February, the value of the authorised deliveries was €2,000 and in January €30,449. Dağdelen said that even that was too much.

"The German government must urgently impose an immediate ban on arms exports to Israel and revoke licences that have already been granted in order to prevent Germany from becoming an accomplice to further Israeli war crimes in Gaza," the lawmaker demanded.