{"id":137993,"date":"2025-11-17T13:12:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T13:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/137993\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T13:12:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T13:12:11","slug":"germany-to-resume-arms-exports-to-israel-next-week-saar-urges-others-to-follow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/137993\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany to resume arms exports to Israel next week; Sa’ar urges others to follow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Germany will lift an order suspending some weapons sales<\/a> to Israel beginning next week, following the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached last month, a German government spokesperson announced Monday, adding that the decision was contingent on the maintenance of the truce.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe government will, as a general rule, revert to case-by-case reviews in decisions on arms exports and respond to further developments,\u201d the spokesperson, Sebastian Hille, said in the announcement.<\/p>\n

The ceasefire \u201cis the basis for this decision, and we expect everyone to abide by the agreements that have been made,\u201d he said, adding that it \u201cincludes maintaining the ceasefire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt also means that humanitarian aid is provided on a large scale and that the process continues in an orderly manner, as agreed,\u201d Hille said.<\/p>\n

The spokesperson added that Germany remains committed to supporting a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on a two-state solution and will continue to engage in supporting reconstruction in Gaza.<\/p>\n

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According to the spokesperson, the decision will take effect on November 24.<\/p>\n

I welcome Chancellor Merz\u2019s move to revoke the decision regarding the partial “embargo”.
I call on other governments to adopt similar decisions, following Germany<\/p>\n

\u2014 Gideon Sa’ar | \u05d2\u05d3\u05e2\u05d5\u05df \u05e1\u05e2\u05e8 (@gidonsaar) November 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar celebrated the decision in a post on X, urging other countries to take similar measures: \u201cI welcome Chancellor Merz\u2019s move to revoke the decision regarding the partial \u2019embargo\u2019. I call on other governments to adopt similar decisions, following Germany.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Berlin suspended some arms trade with Israel in August over the Israeli cabinet\u2019s decision to conquer Gaza City in its war against Hamas in Gaza. Germany is the second-largest arms exporter to Israel, after the United States, and Israel\u2019s main backer in the EU.<\/p>\n

At the time, Merz said \u201cthe German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

He argued that the decision to move on Gaza City \u201cmakes it increasingly difficult\u201d to see how the goals of reaching a hostage deal and disarming Hamas would be achieved.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"
\n\t\tA woman holds a sign as German and Israeli activists block the entrance to the German embassy in Tel Aviv during a protest calling on Germany to stop arming Israel, on June 7, 2024. (JACK GUEZ \/ AFP)<\/p>\n

After the decision in August, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Germany was \u201crewarding Hamas terrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, ahead of Germany\u2019s announcement to resume arms trade, Merz and Netanyahu spoke on the phone Sunday about \u201cdiplomatic and regional matters,\u201d in what the premier\u2019s office described as a \u201cgood and friendly conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Germany\u2019s steadfast and long-standing support for Israel following the Holocaust has been badly strained by Gaza\u2019s mounting death toll and humanitarian crisis, which prompted demands from the German public for government action.<\/p>\n

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Germany provided 30 percent of Israel\u2019s major arms imports in 2019-2023, primarily naval equipment, including Sa\u2019ar 6-class frigates (MEKO A-100 Light Frigates), which have been used in the Gaza war.<\/p>\n

Other countries that have suspended arms trade or implemented embargoes on Israel during the war in Gaza include Spain, which enshrined<\/a> a \u201ctotal embargo\u201d in law last month, as well as more limited moves from Italy, Canada and the Netherlands and Belgium. The UK also decided last year to suspend<\/a> dozens of arms export licenses with Israel, though it insisted the move was not an embargo.<\/p>\n


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