BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – The federal government also approved arms exports to Israel in the first weeks of the Iran war – albeit on a relatively small scale. From February 28th, the day of the attack on Iran by Israeli and US forces, until March 27th, the black-red government gave the green light for exports worth 6.6 million euros, according to answers from the Federal Ministry of Economics to several questions from left-wing MP Ulrich Thoden, which are available to the German Press Agency.
For comparison: In the first four months after the lifting of the export restrictions imposed by the federal government against Israel due to the Gaza war on November 24, 2025, arms deliveries worth a total of 166.95 million euros were approved. However, this did not include any military weapons such as tanks, artillery or the like, but only “other armaments”.
Normally deliveries to war zones are prohibited
Actually, the export guidelines passed in 2000 by the then red-green government and which are still valid today generally prohibit the delivery of military equipment to war and crisis areas. But there are exceptions. This includes supporting Ukraine in the defensive fight against the Russian attackers, and Israel is also a special case. Because of the murder of six million Jews in Europe under German Nazi rule, Germany feels particularly committed to the security of the Jewish state. That’s why, for example, the export of submarines to Israel is even subsidized with tax money.
After Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Germany initially even increased arms exports to Israel to show solidarity. The traffic light government of then Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) issued export licenses worth almost half a billion euros in the year and a half until it was replaced on May 6, 2025.
End of export restrictions after ceasefire in Gaza
Due to increasing anger over Israel’s conduct of the war, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) ordered on August 8 that no more exports of arms to Israel that could be used in the Gaza war would be approved for the time being. “Solidarity with Israel does not mean that we consider every decision that a government makes to be good and that we also provide it with support, including military support with weapons,” Merz said at the time.
In Israel, but also in the CDU and CSU, the partial embargo caused a lot of anger. After three and a half months, the government lifted the restrictions following the agreement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. But even during the partial embargo, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, export licenses worth 10.44 million euros were issued.
Left-wing politician calls for a ban on arms exports
The left-wing MP Thoden accuses the federal government of fueling the Iran war with its export permits. He calls for an immediate and complete stop to arms exports to Israel. “The profit interests of the military-industrial complex never serve peace, whether in the Middle East or elsewhere, but rather fuel wars that can claim countless lives and cost entire nations economic prosperity,” he says.
The federal government has clearly distanced itself from the attacks by Israel and the USA against Iran, but has so far refrained from assessing them under international law. A 14-day ceasefire is currently in effect. However, initial negotiations between the warring parties did not lead to any result./mfi/DP/zb
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