Approved by government of Merz: arms exports for almost four million euros to Israel

The new federal government of Union and SPD approved arms exports for almost four million euros in the first five weeks of its term. This was announced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs at a request from the left-wing members of Desiree Becker, which is available to the German Press Agency.

According to this, German manufacturers were allowed into the country between May 7 and June 10, 2025 for 3.986 million euros, which is massively criticized for its military procedure in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. War weapons were not underneath.

The extent of the permits comparatively low

It is the first time that the new government informs about the scope of the arms exports it approved by Israel. So far, she had rely on media issues that the federal security council responsible for arms exports meets secret. At the request of parliamentarians, the government provides regular information.

The scope of the permits is relatively low compared to the previous government. The traffic light coalition and later the red-green minority government approved arms exports for almost half a billion euros on October 7, 2023 after the Hamas terrorist attack. In the first quarter of 2025 it was 28 million euros. Israel was the most important recipient countries in the German armaments industry.

Complaint at the International Court of Justice for arms exports

There have been discussions about the German armaments deliveries to Israel for months. At the International Court of Justice in the Hague, a lawsuit from the Latin American country Nicaragua is pending, which therefore accuses Germany of the aid to genocide.

In the past few weeks, the new government has gradually tightened the criticism of Israel’s procedure in the Gaza Strip. From the SPD there were demands to completely stop arms exports to Israel. The Union rejects this.

Left-wing politician: “Safety policy irresponsible”

The left-wing MP Becker called it “unsuccessful and humanitarian scandalous” that the federal government had approved arms exports for four million euros in the middle of a “further escalating war”. To do this, you could have delivered “countless medication and food” in the Gaza Strip.