AA / Berlin / Oliver Towfigh Nia
Germany has approved new arms exports to Israel worth more than 30 million euros ($31.2 million) in recent weeks, German newspaper Der Spiegel reported Tuesday.
In total, Germany gave the green light to arms exports to Israel worth more than 160 million euros during the year, despite growing international criticism of what Israeli rights groups human rights call genocidal actions in the Gaza Strip.
According to Der Spiegel, the latest data on arms exports was published by the Ministry of Economy following an investigation.
While the German government has responded to numerous requests for weapons from Israel, it has not delivered any goods classified as weapons of war, such as artillery or tank ammunition.
According to Der Spiegel, the Tel Aviv government made a specific request for such war weapons shortly after the Hamas attack in October 2023. But Berlin has not yet given the green light.
German deliveries include transmissions for Israeli Merkava tanks, which are being manufactured in Germany after Berlin approved deliveries over the summer.
The delivery of weapons that could be used in Gaza was halted in March, after Nicaragua filed a complaint against Germany at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing it of contributing to “genocide” in Gaza.
Germany has long been a key ally of Israel, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz often emphasizing Germany's special responsibility for Israel's security due to the country's Nazi past.
Critics, however, say Germany's unwavering support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is harming its international credibility and further isolating Berlin on the world stage.
Since Israel began its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza last October, more than 45,300 people, mostly women and children, have been killed and more than 105,000 injured.
Israel is being prosecuted at the ICJ for the crime of genocide over its actions in Gaza, where millions of Palestinians remain displaced and face severe shortages of food, medical supplies and other basic necessities.
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