Germany urges 'Israel' to sign 'genocide clause' in military deal
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Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck have reportedly "halted" weapon deliveries to "Israel".
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Palestinians inspect the damage of residential buildings after an Israeli occupation airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, occupied Palestine, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP)
Germany has refused to send weapons to "Israel" unless it provides a written guarantee that they won’t be used against civilians in Gaza, according to media outlets owned by Germany’s Axel Springer publishing group.
While Berlin has not approved any arms sales to "Israel" since March, the arms deliveries were blocked, despite the government asserting that Tel Aviv is not subject to an arms embargo.
It is worth noting that Politico confirmed on Monday a report originally published over the weekend by the German tabloid Bild.
According to Bild, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck, both from the Green party, “blocked new deliveries” and demanded that "Israel" ensure the weapons would not target civilians in Gaza.
The outlet reported, “The Israeli government must give the German government a written assurance that arms exports from Germany will not be used for genocide,” citing unnamed sources from the government and defense sectors. "Israel" is said to have provided these assurances on Thursday.
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Germany has been one of "Israel's" biggest supporters, providing diplomatic and weapons support for "Israel" since the beginning of the war on Gaza, and even clamping down on pro-Palestine protests and activists in the country.
Under German law, weapons cannot be sent to nations where they risk being used against civilians. A source familiar with the matter told Politico, “Arms deliveries to Israel are about compliance with the rules of international humanitarian law. The reason for requesting such a commitment is that a German administrative court could otherwise put a stop to it.”
The revelations have drawn criticism from opposition parties and the ruling Free Democratic Party, with various politicians urging the Greens and Chancellor Olaf Scholz to clarify the stance on weapons exports. Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union, remarked to Bild that Scholz, as chairman of the Federal Security Council, “bears responsibility” for this issue.
While Baerbock has supported "Israel's right to self-defense", she emphasized in a recent speech that “international humanitarian law and Israel’s right to exist are inextricably linked.”
"Israel" has been indiscriminately attacking civilians in Gaza, where over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October 2023.
Read next: Germany's Scholz rushes to assure 'Israel' of no arms ban, new exports
