Calls grow in Germany for Israel arms embargo

The anti -Israel feelings in Europe were intensifying in recent days, and this week, and for the first time, calls were heard in the German ruling coalition to stop arms exports to Israel due to the war in Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

The new German counselor, Fredchich Mirz, a friend of Israel who had never hesitated to provide weapons to Israel without delay, told German television that he “no longer understood” the actions of Israel. He added: “What is happening in Gaza in the name of the war on the terrorists, Hamas, no longer justifies it.” At the same time, the media and media officials called for “re -examining” Germany’s responsibility for Israel’s security as part of the special relationship between countries.

Humanitarian catastrophe

Germany increased significantly from its arms exports to Israel in the months after the October 7 attacks, and the total military exports in 2023 were more than 360 million euros, especially in the last three months of the year. Last year, German defense exports amounted to more than 150 million euros. According to what was reported, this accurate shells that the Israeli army needed, taken from the emergency stored in the German army, as well as the critical parts of tanks, armored employees, explosives, small weapons and equipment for the German masts provided to the Israeli Navy.

When the former coalition, led by Counselor Olaf Schools, hesitated in providing weapons, due to the lengthy war, Mirz led the criticism, accusing Schouls of threatening the presence of Israel through the seizure. Schools fell and the supplies resumed a few weeks later.

But now, as the war continued and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, pictures of the Israeli bombings and the isolation of Germany in terms of supporting Israel in Europe resulted in a different tone from the government that was supposed to be more supportive of Israel than before. The Conservative Party, and Mires in particular, is real friends of Israel. The coalition formed by Mirz with the social democrats, who arrived in power last month, provided assistance to Israel and “guaranteeing its security part” from its official obligations in the coalition agreement signed between the two parties. The agreement repeated the statement of the former Chancellor Angela Merkel that “ensuring the existence of the State of Israel is part of the reason for the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany.”

New feelings include calls to re -examine this commitment. A senior parliamentarian representing the social democrats in the coalition, Ralph Stephard, told German media this week that German weapons cannot be used to violate international law. Edis Ahmedovic’s foreign policy spokesman, Edis Ahmedovich, chanted these feelings, “German weapons should not be used to exacerbate a humanitarian catastrophe and violate international law,” many party members joined calls.

Meanwhile, Felix Klein, government representative to combat anti -Semitism in Germany, said that the meaning of Germany’s commitment to Israel’s security should be “reviewed.” “We must do everything we can to protect the security of the State of Israel and the Jews all over the world, but we must also make it clear that this commitment is not justified for everything.” Klein made statements to the conservative Frankfurter Zimin Zeitong (FAZ), which announced on its first page yesterday that “Israel has gone away.”

Last week, the left “Der Spiegel” magazine, “Deir Spiche”, appeared on a cover that shows the disintegration of the special relationship between Israel and Germany, and the weekly magazine “Stern” has published a highly opinion column saying that Germany must distance itself from the Netanyahu government immediately what is happening in Gaza.

Cash survey

A survey conducted by the BERTELSMANN Foundation, published two weeks ago, found that the German public is more critical to Israel than political leaders. The number of Germans who support the state of Israel is smaller than the number who support the Palestinians, and about 42 % of the public believes that Israel is treating the Palestinians the way the Nazis dealt with the Jews, and more. A recent survey published in the Der Tagesspiegel Daily Newspace this week revealed that 51 % of Germans oppose an overwhelming majority of arms exports to Israel. About 50 % of the public would like Germany to distance Israel.

The consequences of losing German support and perhaps even prohibiting weapons or reducing arms shipments can be exciting. Over the past 18 months, Germany has been one of the largest friends of Israel in the European Union, their assistance in international law, in the political arena within Europe, and in international institutions. According to reports from Brussels, the new German Foreign Minister Johan Wadil said to hold a meeting of foreign ministers in the European Union last week, which decided to “reconsider” the basic agreement between the European Union and Israel, that his country was unable to support this step because of its historical responsibility, but criticized what is happening in Gaza. Germany voted against this step.

All eyes are on New York

In recent years, Germany has become one of the largest arms and defense suppliers in Israel, with an average share of about 30 % of the annual defense of Israel (the vast majority of the rest comes from the United States, and many European countries such as Italy and the United Kingdom are responsible for fractures of the percent of imports). These include, among other things, huge deals to buy submarines and ships, but German military aid also includes offensive weapons, explosives, extensive equipment for cabinets and armored employee conveyors.

All eyes will happen in three weeks in New York, when a major conference hosted by France and Saudi Arabia is expected to establish a recognition of a Palestinian country on the agenda. Germany is not considered a supporter of this step, but the issue of its access to Israel and trying to reduce the scope of recognition is still open.

Contrary to the harsh criticisms that he heard against Britain and France in recent days, especially Spain, which calls for a ban on international weapons on Israel, the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s response to the counselor’s statements was light. “Israel listens very carefully to Mirz, because he is a friend,” said the Israeli ambassador to Germany, Ron Broser, in the German media. “The circumstances in which Israel behave must be examined when it is criticized.” Prosor stressed the difficulty of providing assistance to Gaza, as well as the need to fight terrorism. Mirz said he would “do his concerns” about Gaza in talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and that he had already spoken to him twice.

It was published by Globes, Israel Business News – En.globes.co.il – on May 28, 2025.

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