Berlin, Germany, Suspends New Arms Export Permits to Israel Over Gaza Concerns

Germany has temporarily suspended the issuance of new export permits for weapons to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, according to Euronews. Merz said the decision reflected Berlin’s concern about the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave. The BBC reported that Merz announced the suspension on a Friday in response to Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City.

Merz said Germany would not authorize any export of military equipment to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice. Euronews quoted him as saying the suspension would last “temporarily,” while the BBC reported the phrase “until further notice.” Merz also called on Israel to ensure full access for the delivery of humanitarian supplies to United Nations missions and other non-governmental organizations, a call that points to the protection of civilians in need (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “deep disappointment” at the decision, which Euronews described as an arms embargo on Israel. Netanyahu said Germany had, in effect, promoted terrorism by imposing the embargo. Euronews reported these remarks as Netanyahu’s own statements, and they were not attributed to any other Israeli official.

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said Israel’s objective was not to seize Gaza but to free it from Hamas and establish a peaceful government there, according to Euronews. Euronews also reported that the Israeli military and political cabinet had approved a plan for phased control over the Gaza Strip, aimed at completely defeating Hamas. The BBC described the approval differently, as a decision by the Israeli security cabinet to take control of the Gaza Strip territory. The BBC said the cabinet’s decision represented an escalation in Israel’s military response, which it said has caused more than 60,000 deaths in the Palestinian territory.

The BBC placed the German announcement within a wider set of global reactions to the Netanyahu government’s approval of the plan. It also reported that Hamas’s military incursion on 7 October 2023 left 1,200 dead in Israel and hundreds of hostages. The BBC cited SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, as reporting that the United States was Israel’s largest military supplier in 2020–2024, followed by Germany.

The BBC further reported that in 2008, then Chancellor Angela Merkel told the Israeli Parliament that Israel’s security is a matter of state for Germany.