On Friday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that Berlin will not authorise German arms sales to Israel for use in Gaza “until further notice.” This European nation, which has long maintained tight ties with a Middle Eastern government, has recently made news for halting some military equipment exports. The action was taken in the face of mounting international alarm over continuing fighting in a hotly disputed region where civilian casualties have been rising. The administration indicates a change to a more cautious strategy by stopping the flow of weapons that might be deployed in the conflict area.
Germany makes a historic change by stopping weapon exports amid the Gaza conflict
Germany is to suspend exports of weaponry that could be used in the Gaza Strip because of Israel’s plan to expand its operations there – the first time a united Germany has acknowledged denying military support to its long-time ally. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s sudden about-turn on Friday followed mounting pressure from the public and his junior coalition partner over the manmade humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Israel has severely restricted supplies of food and water. In a statement, Merz acknowledged Israel’s right to disarm Hamas and seek the release of Israeli hostages but said the Israeli decision “makes it increasingly difficult to see how these goals can be achieved”.
Change in German arms export policy to Israel driven by coalition pressure and public opinion
Germany is Israel’s second biggest weapons supplier after the U.S., and has long been one of its staunchest supporters, principally because of historical guilt for the Nazi Holocaust – a policy known as the “Staatsraison”. But an opinion poll in June indicated that 73% of Germans want tighter controls on arms exports, including 30% who favour a total ban.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Israeli foreign and defence ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil of the Social Democrats, who govern alongside Merz’s conservatives, said,
“This is the right decision. The humanitarian suffering in Gaza is unbearable.”
The wider effect on domestic discussion and international relations
Reactions to the suspension have been conflicting in Germany and abroad. Proponents hail the action as a moral defence of humanitarianism and peace. However, detractors caution that it would sour relations with Israel, a crucial ally, and make security cooperation more difficult. The discussion in Germany emphasises the fine line that must be drawn between assisting allies and maintaining moral principles while exporting weapons.
Other nations that provide military hardware to areas of conflict may also be impacted by Germany’s decision. It establishes a standard for how governments may balance changing geopolitical conditions and human rights issues with their export policy. Israeli officials, however, have voiced dissatisfaction, claiming that the action would compromise their defence capabilities in a difficult security environment.
GERMANY’S REVERSAL A BLOW FOR ISRAEL
Germany urges swift end to tariff fight at G7. Meron Mendel, the director of the Anne Frank Education Centre in Frankfurt said,
“Politically and morally, this is certainly a hard blow for Netanyahu and his policies.”
Germany’s parliament reported in June that export licences for 485 million euros ($564 million) of military equipment for Israel had been granted between the day of the Hamas attack that triggered the Gaza war, October 7, 2023, and May 13, 2025. In the months after the Hamas attack, Germany increased its arms exports to Israel roughly tenfold. Human rights groups launched legal challenges, saying the weapons could be used in the Gaza war, but none have succeeded so far. Germany has also done another good thing by speeding up geothermal energy development.
GCN.com/Reuters