Germany approves new arms exports to Israel despite earlier embargo

The reported decision to provide such funds comes after Germany was said to have put a hold on exporting weapons to Israel.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF DECEMBER 29, 2024 06:30 Updated: DECEMBER 29, 2024 06:33

Germany and Israel national flag (photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

Germany's federal government approved additional arms exports to Israel during the final weeks of the 2024 year that totaled over 30 million euros, according to a Monday report by the German news outlet Spiegel, citing Bundestag Member Sevim Dağdelen.

The reported decision to provide such funds comes after Germany was said to have put a hold on exporting weapons to Israel back in September.

Yet, according to the Spiegel report, altogether throughout the year 2024, Germany approved arms exports worth over 160 million euros to Israel, despite the growing international criticism it received in doing so.

However, the report also noted that Germany did not agree to deliver certain military weapons to Israel, such as artillery or tank ammunition, despite Israel's request to receive them.

Weapons that Germany did agree to provide for Israel included transmissions for Israeli Merkava tanks manufactured in Germany, the report said. It continued that after Israel requested new systems from the German defense company Renk in early 2024, Berlin approved the deliveries in the summer.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock meets with Minister Israel Katz during her visit to Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel, September 6, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/FLORION GOGA/FILE PHOTO)

Germany's federal government required formal assurances from Israel that the German goods would only be used for missions compliant with international law, Spiegel added.

Differing stances

Dağdelen told Spiegel that she sharply criticized the German export of weapons to Israel. 

“Instead of exporting more weapons to Ukraine or Israel, we need diplomacy and negotiations to end wars and conflicts,” she said in the report. 

Back in September, a Reuters analysis of data and a source close to the Economy Ministry said that Germany put a hold on new exports of weapons of war to Israel while it dealt with legal challenges.

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A source close to the ministry cited a senior government official as saying it had stopped work on approving export licenses for arms to Israel pending a resolution of legal cases arguing that such exports from Germany breached humanitarian law.