Germany’s opposition party, The Left, on Thursday accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government of fuelling the war in Iran by exporting arms to Israel, as new figures revealed millions of euros in approved military sales.
Germany approved millions of euros’ worth of arms exports to Israel during the early weeks of the Iran conflict, prompting criticism from opposition lawmakers.
According to the German Economy Ministry, cited by the German Press Agency (dpa), Berlin authorised military exports worth €6.6 million between 28 February and 27 March.
The approvals came despite constitutional principles that restrict weapons exports to active conflict zones.
Ulrich Thoden, a lawmaker from the Left party, condemned the move, saying: “The profit interests of the military-industrial complex never serve the cause of peace, neither in the Middle East nor elsewhere; rather, they fuel wars that claim countless lives and can cost entire nations their economic prosperity.”
He called for an “immediate and complete halt” to German arms exports to Israel.
Germany is one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe, and officials have repeatedly stressed the country’s “special responsibility” for Israel’s security due to its Nazi past.
The United States remains Israel’s largest military backer by a wide margin, supplying the majority of its imported weapons.
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the U.S. and Germany together account for nearly all of Israel’s arms imports in recent years.
Germany is the second-largest supplier, though far behind the U.S.
Other countries play much smaller roles.
Italy supplies a limited share of military equipment.
The United Kingdom’s exports are typically indirect, often involving components or parts rather than complete weapons systems.
While these additional suppliers contribute to Israel’s defence supply chain, their role is minor compared with the scale of U.S. support.
Afghanistan’s consul general in Mashhad and the governor of Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province have discussed expanding trade, improving border trans...
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has withdrawn the appointment of a senior U.S. official to a top leadership role because of delays in U.S....
Uzbekistan recorded further declines in the production of key energy resources during the first four months of 2026, even as output of fuel products, ...
Central Asia is facing growing water stress after five consecutive years of drought, with rising temperatures, depleted soil moisture and shrinking gr...
Türkiye and Azerbaijan are advancing plans for a major new energy corridor that would transmit green electricity from the Caspian region to Europe, T...
Thousands of residents blocked Austria’s Brenner motorway on Saturday (30 May), shutting down a major north-south transport route through the Alps in protest against persistent congestion from heavy truck traffic and tourism.
Soaring temperatures across Europe have broken records in Portugal and sparked heat alerts in Italy and France, affecting events including the French Open tennis tournament.
Azerbaijan has made a notable appearance at one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian events, with a large delegation participating in the CHIO Aachen tournament in Germany, according to the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
Okinawa lost transport links and suffered widespread power outages on Monday (1 June) as Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought destructive winds and heavy rain to Japan's south-western islands.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
Donald Trump said he is “in no hurry” to reach a deal with Iran, insisting the U.S. is slowly getting what it wants. He warned military action remains an option if talks fail. Meanwhile, U.S. forces said they fired a missile at a vessel trying to breach Washington’s blockade of Iran.
The World Health Organisation’s designation of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is a stark reminder that Ebola remains a persistent global health threat rather than a disease of the past.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has withdrawn the appointment of a senior U.S. official to a top leadership role because of delays in U.S. payments, according to a statement published on Monday (1 June).
China's Coast Guard said on Monday it had carried out what it described as "law enforcement" patrols in waters east of Taiwan, saying the move was a response to plans by Japan and the Philippines to begin maritime boundary delimitation talks in an area Beijing claims falls under its jurisdiction.
As the World Cup kick-off approaches, teams from across the globe arrive with contrasting narratives, some seeking redemption, others chasing history, and a few hoping simply to belong.
Okinawa lost transport links and suffered widespread power outages on Monday (1 June) as Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought destructive winds and heavy rain to Japan's south-western islands.
Japan has released crested ibises into the wild on Honshu for the first time, marking a major conservation milestone in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment