German chancellor vows to continue arms exports to Israel
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says his country will continue to provide Israel with weapons, despite opposing calls that demand a halt of arms sales to the regime amid its onslaught on Gaza.
“We have delivered weapons to Israel and we have not made a decision to stop doing so,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at a news conference in Berlin.
“We have not decided not to supply weapons. So we will (deliver) and we have (delivered to Israel),” added the leader of the country that is the second-largest weapons exporter to Israel in terms of major conventional weapons, accounting for more than 25% of imports between 2019 and 2023.
Scholz also stressed that Berlin would not support calls to boycott goods, services and products coming from Israel, adding “Frankly, I find such demands repulsive.”
That came despite calls by protesters and dozens of human rights groups that urged Germany to stop arming Israel.
Germany faced charges at the top United Nations court for “facilitating the commission of genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza in coordination with its ally, Israel.
The case filed by Nicaragua in April asked the International Court of Justice to hand down preliminary orders known as provisional measures, including that Germany “immediately" suspend its aid to Israel, in particular, its military assistance, including military equipment.
Though the court rejected the request, the case exposed Germany’s unwavering support for Israel’s genocidal war.
Germany has been a staunch supporter of Israel for decades. The European country is a significant arms supplier to Israel, with a substantial contribution of €326.5 million ($353.70 million) worth of military equipment and weapons in the past year alone.
Germany's lethal arms exports to the occupied territories have seen a tenfold increase after Israel launched its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, making it not only complicit but an active participant in the genocide unfolding in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
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