Since the attacks of October 7, 2023, Germany has been confronted on an almost daily basis with the limits of its doctrine of unconditional support for Israel, which arises from its historical responsibility in the Shoah. The question of arms deliveries to the Jewish state thus arose spectacularly on Thursday, October 10, during a debate organized in the Bundestag for the anniversary of the attacks perpetrated by Hamas. While being attacked by conservatives from the Christian Democratic opposition (CDU), Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced in person that Germany would resume arms exports to the Jewish state. “We have delivered weapons and we will deliver them”affirmed the Social Democratic Chancellor (SPD), specifying that the government had taken decisions “which also guarantees that there will be other deliveries soon”.
Since the start of the year, Germany has sharply reduced its arms exports to Israel, without officially recognizing it. Over the first nine months, according to sources at the Ministry of the Economy, cited by Reuters, on September 18, Berlin authorized 14.5 million euros in arms exports to Israel, compared to 326 million in 2023. The “weapons of war” category represents only 2% of the 14.5 million, with most of the equipment exported consisting of helmets, protective vests or means of communication. “There is no boycott of German arms exports to Israel”however, said government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit in mid-September.
This decline in arms export volumes has nevertheless fueled criticism against the government for several weeks, coming in particular from the conservatives of the CDU, for whom the ruling coalition shows too lukewarm support for the Jewish state. “What are your demonstrations of solidarity with the State of Israel worth if you refuse at the same time to provide it with essential aid in its very precarious situation? »cried Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU for the 2025 legislative elections, Thursday, in front of the Bundestag, which had just observed a minute of silence for the victims of Hamas. “For weeks and months, the federal government has refused to authorize the export of, for example, ammunition and even the delivery of spare parts for tanks to Israel”he said, explaining that one “large number of companies” were awaiting authorization from the federal government for months. “What does this mean, if not the de facto refusal to issue export authorizations? », he continued.
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