Germany will not authorise any further military equipment exports for Israel that could be used in Gaza, the country’s Chancellor has announced after 22 months of conflict.
In a statement, Friedrich Merz maintained that Israel "has the right to defend itself”, but plans for further occupation made it “increasingly difficult” for Germany to see how the goals of disarming Hamas and returning the hostages could be achieved.
Germany, usually a stalwart ally of Israel, made the announcement shortly after Benjamin Netanyahu announced the start of plans to occupy the entire Gaza Strip, starting with Gaza City, where some 800,000 displaced Palestinians reside.
His plans for further occupation have been criticised by international leaders, his own military and the families of Israeli’s that are still being held captive by Hamas.
"Under these circumstances, the German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice," the German statement read.
It’s understood that this only applies to military exports used in the Gaza campaign, essentially stopping short of a full arms ban.
But what does the UK provide to Israel?
Does the UK sell arms to Israel?
Yes, the UK still allows arms sales to Israel.
Studies have found that since 2015, the UK licensed more than £489 million worth of military supplies to Israel. According to the House of Commons library, arms sales data from the UK to Israel after October 7 is unavailable.
The letter delivered to the UK government in March 2024, signed by 107 MPs and 27 peers, stated that “UK-made weapons are being used in Gaza,” including parts of lethal F-16 fighter jets.
“It was likely one of these jets — made with UK parts — that, in January, bombed British doctors at a compound in Gaza,” the letter said.
Companies that want to export military weapons must apply for a UK Government licence. Some of the licenses for these parts have since been suspended, but David Lammy said it was not a “blanket ban or an arms embargo.”
According to the BBC, the UK still supplies up to 15% of parts required in F-35 fighter jets that Israel has commonly used to destroy Gaza. It’s thought that the UK may also share intelligence with Israel, and even train some Israeli soldiers.
Since October 7, there have also been several debates in the House of Commons about UK arms export licences to Israel. In one transcript from December 2023, MPs confirmed that the UK’s defence exports to Israel in 2022 were worth £42m.
According to the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), approved export licences from the UK were for various equipment, including military radar components, electronic warfare equipment, combat aircraft and targeting equipment.
In a review of export licences to Israel from the UK in December 2023, equalities minister Kemi Badenoch chose not to suspend existing licences or stop granting them.
Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South, said that other licences had “gone under the radar”. This suggested that the true extent of the UK’s involvement in military licences may be greater.
The CAAT also said: “Israel is using UK arms exports in a genocide against the Palestinian people. The UK Government is complicit in these crimes not just by supplying these weapons for decades, but by repeatedly inciting Israel to commit war crimes against Palestinian civilians with impunity, in retaliation for Hamas’ horrific killings and abductions of Israelis including civilians.”
Although the Occupied Palestinian Territories have no official army, many UK politicians have backed Israel’s right to defend itself against the Palestinians in the past.
Ending the UK’s provisions of arms sales to Israel was one of the main focus points of campaigners in Palestine Action, a group which was recently proscribed a terror organisation.
Which countries sell arms to Israel?
The United States is still reportedly the largest arms exporter, providing some 69 per cent of imports of arms to Israel, followed by Germany, Italy and the UK.
In February 2024, Canada announced plans to ban arms sales to Israel. It joined the Netherlands, Japan, Spain, and Belgium, which all blocked weapons exports.
Slovenia is thought to be among the only European countries that have halted the export, import and transit of military equipment with Israel, announcing the news last week.
