Federal government: Traffic light is considering exporting Eurofighter to Saudi Arabia

Because of its rapprochement with Israel, Saudi Arabia can hope for the federal government’s green light to supply Eurofighter fighter jets. Corresponding statements by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) have the backing of Olaf Scholz (SPD). “Yes, the Chancellor shares this assessment,” said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin. Baerbock’s statements were less well received in parts of her own party.

The Foreign Minister said on Sunday during a visit to Jerusalem that Saudi Arabia was contributing to Israel’s security and preventing a conflagration in the region by intercepting rockets fired at Israel by the Yemeni Houthis. “That is precisely why we do not see that we as the German federal government oppose the British considerations for further Eurofighters for Saudi Arabia,” said Baerbock.

The fighter jets are a European joint project in which Germany is involved and in which it therefore has veto rights over export decisions. They are manufactured in Great Britain with supplies from Germany, Spain and Italy. Great Britain would be willing to deliver to Saudi Arabia. According to unconfirmed reports, there are 48 jets involved.

However, the traffic light coalition had previously rejected such deliveries because of Saudi Arabia’s role in the Yemen war and the human rights situation in the country. The brutal killing of the Saudi journalist and government critic Jamal Khashoggi by a special squad in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 also reverberated. In their coalition agreement, the SPD, Greens and FDP agreed: “We will not issue export licenses for military equipment to states as long as they can be proven to be directly involved in the war in Yemen.”

Spokesman for the Foreign Office: No decision has been made yet

But there were already signs of a shift in this position last summer. Due to a widespread cessation of hostilities, this clause “can no longer guide action,” said Scholz in mid-July. Many of those involved have withdrawn from the conflict. A decision to supply Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia was “not likely to be forthcoming,” the Chancellor explained at the time – and government circles said that this decision would initially apply until the next federal election, i.e. until autumn 2025.

Most recently, Saudi Arabia and Israel had come closer – a process that did not come to a standstill with the terrorist attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas and other extremist Palestinian groups on October 7th. Since then, Saudi Arabia has taken a “very constructive attitude” towards Israel, praised government spokesman Hebestreit. “The Saudi Arabian Air Force, including with Eurofighters, shot down Houthi rockets that were on their way to Israel. And in the light of all these developments, the Federal Government’s positioning with regard to the Eurofighters must be seen. And that is narrow coordinated within the federal government.”

A spokesman for the Foreign Office pointed out that no decision had yet been made. There is currently only one Saudi tender for a fighter jet delivery and the UK is considering taking part in it. If the other countries involved agree, Great Britain can apply, explained Hebestreit. The Federal Security Council, which includes other ministers alongside Scholz, would have to decide on this – as well as possible final approval if Saudi Arabia wanted to award the order.

Green reactions to delivery

Baerbock’s statements nevertheless caused a stir among the Greens. Party leader Ricarda Lang said on RBB Inforadio that the situation had changed since the Islamist Hamas attack on Israel. However, in view of the human rights situation and the internal state of Saudi Arabia, she still believes that a delivery of Eurofighters is wrong. The defense policy spokeswoman for the Green parliamentary group, Sara Nanni, told “Spiegel” that she expected the federal government to stick to its negative stance from the summer. Bundestag member Sevim Dagdelen from the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance was outraged. “The fatal decision is also massive electoral fraud, and the unworthy attempts at justification don’t help,” she told the dpa.

Vice Chancellor and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) admitted on ARD and ZDF that the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia still “does not meet our standards at all,” but still spoke out in favor of a possible delivery. Before a trip to the Middle East, Habeck said a lot had changed among the Houthis in Yemen. “This is a highly armed militia that is now firing its drones and rockets at Israel and firing at ships. Saudi Arabia is shielding Israel and striving for peace in Yemen.” This also means carrying out a new security policy assessment. Baerbock said the right thing.

Support from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group

Saudi Arabia is “an important security partner” in the region, said parliamentary group vice-president Johann David Wadephul (CDU) of the dpa. “Right now we need our partners in the region to put an end to Hamas’ terror.”

AfD member of the Bundestag Gerold Otten told the dpa that a further rejection would have caused “great discontent” in London, Rome and Madrid. Otherwise there would most likely be a threat of claims for damages from Germany.

The chairwoman of the Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, reacted cautiously. “Anyone who exports the Eurofighter to Saudi Arabia must also immediately deliver the Taurus to Ukraine,” she told the dpa. “Security policy also needs a values ​​compass.”