Germany newspaper "Bild" yesterday featured an article criticizing the German government for not yet approving the export to the Israeli army of thousands of precision tank shells. According to the report, Israel requested the export of the shells last November including the possibility that the German army would take the necessary shells from its warehouses, and replace them over time. The reports referred to 10,000 shells manufactured by German company Rheinmetall, which Israel needs, among other things, due to the possibility of an escalation in the north.
Weapons to Qatar but not to Israel
The headline of the articles was 'Weapons to Qatar but not to Israel?' The article said, "Already last year, the Israeli government requested to procure several thousand units of ammunition for its battle tanks, and forwarded additional requests for military equipment."
At the time, the magazine "Der Spiegel" reported the request, saying that the government and military in Germany were positively considering approving it. Now, according to the report in "Bild", based on security sources, it has become clear that "Berlin has not yet made a decision on the sale."
The pro-Israel newspaper resented the fact that, contrary to the delay in question, Berlin has approve the export of weapons to Qatar worth €100 million in the first half of 2024. "For the Jewish state, which is currently in an existential battle on several fronts against terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, the military procurement is particularly important." the newspaper wrote. "The Jewish state has been left alone to defend itself," it says.
American Jewish Committee Berlin director Remko Leemhuis told "Bild," "Everyone should remember this the next time German politicians talk about Germany's special responsibility towards Israel." He expressed outrage that Germany was selling weapons, including artillery cannons to Qatar "where they celebrated the October 7 attacks."
We haven't made a decision not to sell weapons to Israel"
However, Israeli officials made it clear to "Globes" that there has been no decision by Germany to halt arms shipments to Israel. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated recently that Germany would continue to assist Israel militarily, and this was said after Germany stood by Israel in international forums, expressed support for Israel's position in The Hague, and helped fend off possible criticism and sanctions within the EU. "We have supplied weapons to Israel, and we did not make any decision not to do so again," the chancellor said in July.
There is apparently an internal debate within the German government regarding the nature of the military aid and its composition, with the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Annalena Baerbock expressing more critical positions than the Chancellor's Office and the other ministries involved in the approval (Ministries of Economy and Finance). Germany is facing a possible lawsuit from Nicaragua in the International Court of Justice for "assisting genocide" due to the provision of military aid to Israel.
"There has been no German declarations about an arms embargo on Israel," Israeli officials told "Globes." "If there is any problem, it is a delay in exports, not a halt in them." Germany sharply increased arms shipments to Israel after October 7, according to data provided to the representative of Germany's BSW faction (The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance - Reason and Justice) by the government recently, and total German defense exports in 2023 totaled over €320 million (ten times the previous year's exports). About 75% was approved over the last three months of 2023, after the October 7 terrorist attack. BSW is demanding an arms embargo on Israel.
Since the beginning of the year, however, defense export approvals have decreased and totaled €15 million. Israeli officials explained that the procurement of the shells is a complicated procedure involving approvals and budgets from various bodies in Germany.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on September 16, 2024.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2024.