Germany increased weapons shipments to 'Israel' since August
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed on Wednesday his government's commitment to arming the Israeli occupation despite the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
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Israeli occupation forces fire shells from tanks into Gaza. (Undated, AFP)
In the last eight weeks, the German government has authorized military equipment and munitions exports to "Israel" totaling approximately €31 million ($33.7 million), which is more than double the amount approved for the entire previous year.
By October 13, export licenses for German-made armaments destined for "Israel" had reached €45.74 million, according to a report from Germany's Economy Ministry shared with a parliamentary committee and obtained by dpa.
As of August 21, the total value was reported at €14.46 million, based on the ministry's response to a parliamentary inquiry. The ministry noted that these figures are provisional and may be subject to change.
Details about the specific types of armaments included in the shipments to "Israel" remain unclear, as the ministry refrained from providing further information, citing the confidentiality of export license decisions made by the Federal Security Council. The report mentions categories such as ammunition, bombs, and warships, but whether the licenses pertain to arms deliveries or other items like spare parts is uncertain.
In a report to the committee, the ministry stated, "There is no ban on arms exports to Israel," despite rumors circulating last week that the Greens were looking to block arms shipments.
The ministry stated that license decisions are decided on a case-by-case basis and based on the specific scenario.
"In doing so, the federal government takes into account compliance with international humanitarian law and the current situation in the region, including the escalation caused by Iran's rocket attacks on Israel, the attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah on Israel, and the course of the operation in Gaza and Lebanon," according to the report.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed Wednesday his government's commitment to arming the Israeli occupation despite the ongoing war on Gaza, which has killed more than 42,200 Palestinian people and displaced over 2 million people.
In an address to lawmakers in the German parliament, Scholz squarely blamed Hamas for the war, emphasizing that Germany would continue to "stand in solidarity with Israel,"while confirming arms deliveries would continue for "Israel's self-defense."
"Israel can always rely on us for this," Scholz stated.
His remarks followed reports from local media that Germany had resumed arms exports to the Israeli occupation after receiving assurances from the Israeli government that German weapons would not be used in what has been described as a genocide.
Palestinian factions label Germany as 'Zionist' after FM statement
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, strongly condemned the statements made by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday, in which she claimed that "Israel" can target civilians in Gaza for "self-defense".
In a statement, Hamas said the "German government is unashamed of the targeting of civilians and hospitals as long as it provides security for Israel, and this is part of its commitments."
Hamas described Baerbock's statements as "brazen", emphasizing that they constitute a clear and serious violation of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention of Genocide. Hamas also saw them as a clear acknowledgment of support for the Israeli occupation in its ongoing aggression and a cover for the "Zionist-Nazi army" to "commit further genocidal crimes against defenseless civilians, including children, women, the elderly, and the sick."
Hamas expressed deep dismay at this statement, saying it reveals a "Zionist mentality stripped of all humanitarian values and principles and exposes the truth of the German position that supports and participates in the crimes of starvation, thirst, and genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."
In a parliamentary address, #Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to "Israel", saying that "civilian sites could lose their protected status."
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 16, 2024
In a bid to go even further in Germany's support for "Israel" in its genocide, Baerbock not only… pic.twitter.com/gv3XkdlbWU
Hamas held the German government fully responsible for the consequences of these dangerous statements by its Foreign Minister, as well as their political, legal, moral, and humanitarian repercussions.
