Germany Imposes Ban on Arms Supplies to Israel

A recent report has revealed that Germany is quietly imposing a "silent ban" on arms supplies to Israel, as international criticism grows over Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza since October 7.

According to the German newspaper Bild, the German government has delayed approving several Israeli requests for military supplies.

In particular, Israel's request last year for thousands of tank shells and additional weapons has not yet been acted upon by German authorities.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, citing Bild's report, highlighted that for Israel, which is currently engaged in multiple fronts against Hamas and Hezbollah, acquiring military equipment and arms from abroad is critical.

However, most of Israel’s arms requests since the outbreak of the war have been delayed, with only a few approvals granted. While Germany has not explicitly banned arms sales to Israel, the prolonged suspension of decisions on these requests effectively serves as an arms embargo.

The delay stems from internal disagreements within Germany, particularly between the Chancellor's Office and the National Security Council, which support selling arms to Israel, and the Foreign Ministry, which is opposed to the idea.

Since March of this year, no new arms export approvals to Israel have been granted, with a marked decline in the volume of German military exports.

In contrast to 2023, when Germany approved about €20 million in offensive weapons exports to Israel, the current year has seen only around €32,000 worth of military supplies, primarily for defensive equipment such as helmets and protective vests.