'Israel' ramps up diplomacy to prevent German arms export restrictions
4 Min Read
Chancellor Merz himself has recently expressed rare criticism of "Israel's" actions in Gaza, describing them as "no longer comprehensible" and casting doubt on their justification as anti-terror operations.
-
An Israeli soldier aims his weapon as he stand next to an armoured vehicle during a military raid in the West Bank city of Nablus, Tuesday, May 27, 2025 (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Israeli channel Kan 11 reported Tuesday evening that "Israel" is carrying out a high-level diplomatic push to stop the German government from imposing or even considering limits on arms exports to Tel Aviv, as international condemnation over the humanitarian disaster in Gaza continues to mount.
According to the report, "Israel" is attempting to sway the office of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the German Foreign Ministry by portraying the current food aid distribution mechanism in Gaza as a "fundamental shift" from previous efforts. This move is intended to undercut any German rationale for re-evaluating military support.
This comes as recent reports indicated that Germany is actively reassessing its arms export policy toward "Israel." Chancellor Merz himself has recently expressed rare criticism of "Israel's" actions in Gaza, describing them as "no longer comprehensible" and casting doubt on their justification as anti-terror operations. Members of his coalition, especially from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), are advocating a suspension of arms exports, citing violations of international law.
Public opinion in Germany is also shifting: recent polls show that a majority of Germans oppose continuing arms shipments to "Israel," with around two-thirds urging Berlin to pressure "Israel" to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.
Arms Pressure
In a direct attempt to influence Berlin's stance, Israeli officials have framed their current policy in Gaza as a humanitarian breakthrough, arguing that it marks a "dramatic and fundamental shift." This narrative is part of a broader campaign to ensure that Germany does not follow the lead of countries like Canada and Belgium, which have already suspended or canceled military exports to "Israel."
The diplomatic efforts also align with a scheduled phone call between Chancellor Merz and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which both leaders are expected to address the future of military ties and broader security cooperation.
Meanwhile, pressure is rising from within the German public sphere. Dozens of activists and German residents gathered outside the German Foreign Ministry to demand the suspension of EU-Israeli agreements and an immediate halt to arms exports. Protesters carried signs in both Hebrew and German, bearing messages like "We must stand against genocide" and "No to a second Nakba," in clear reference to the ongoing siege and devastation in Gaza.
YESTERDAY: Israeli citizens in Berlin protest in front of the German Federal Foreign Office to demand the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and for Germany to stop arming Israel. The protesters oppose the Genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing across Palestine. pic.twitter.com/K0Qt6O1iHa
— Activestills (@activestills) May 28, 2025
Germany has not yet enacted any formal embargo, but political pressure, civil society mobilization, and international precedent suggest Berlin's historically unconditional support for "Israel" is facing unprecedented scrutiny.
Read more: Germany decries Gaza toll while fueling war with weapons to 'Israel'
Complicity Reckoning
Germany's reluctance to confront "Israel" has long been tied to a narrative of historical responsibility rooted in the Holocaust, one that has been consistently weaponized to shield ongoing Israeli crimes against Palestinians from accountability.
But as Merz noted at a European policy conference on Monday: "Germany must exercise greater restraint than any other country in the world in giving public advice to Israel. But if lines are crossed, where international humanitarian law is now really being violated, then Germany, the German chancellor, must also say something about it."
Despite this rhetorical pivot, recent figures show that Germany has significantly fueled "Israel's" military campaign. In 2023 alone, Germany approved €326.5 million in weapons exports to "Israel," a tenfold increase over the previous year. Even in 2024, amid growing scrutiny and legal appeals, Berlin authorized another €161 million in military equipment. Between August and October 2024, €94 million of that total was approved, sparking criticism from rights groups over complicity in violations of humanitarian law.
With images of bombed hospitals, starving children, and mass civilian casualties in Gaza dominating headlines, Germany's government now faces mounting calls to align its policy not just with historical memory, but with present-day moral and legal obligations.
