What Happened: Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Germany will soon increase arms supplies to Israel, countering opposition claims of delayed exports, despite a significant drop in approvals this year.
What you need to know: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Thursday that Germany will soon supply more weapons to Israel, following significant criticism from opposition leaders regarding a drop in arms deliveries this year. Scholz responded to accusations from opposition leader Friedrich Merz, who claimed the government was deliberately delaying the export of vital military supplies, including ammunition and tank spare parts.
What more: In a parliamentary address commemorating the victims of the October 7 Hamas attack, Scholz stated, “We have not decided not to supply weapons. We have supplied weapons and we will supply weapons.” He emphasized that decisions have been made to ensure further deliveries in the near future. Merz countered that the government had withheld export approvals for critical military equipment, stating, “We are aware of several specific cases where the government has withheld approval for equipment and material that Israel urgently needs to defend itself.”
Also: Scholz rejected the notion that there was a de facto halt on arms exports to Israel and reaffirmed that more defense goods would be sent soon. This commitment comes as Germany’s arms approvals for Israel plummeted this year, amounting to only 14.5 million euros from January to August. In contrast, the previous year saw a tenfold increase to 326.5 million euros.
Additionally: Furthermore, far-left opposition politician Sahra Wagenknecht criticized the arms deliveries, arguing that they contribute to war crimes, while emphasizing Israel’s right to self-defense but condemning the destruction in Gaza.