Germany assures commitment to arming Israel despite genocide allegations

Germany has announced its intention to continue supplying arms to Israel, despite accusations of genocide against Tel Aviv. Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared to the German parliament that arms deliveries would continue, stating, “We have not decided to stop delivering weapons. We have delivered weapons and we will deliver weapons.”

This decision puts Germany at odds with France, where President Emmanuel Macron has suggested an embargo on weapons for use in Gaza, prompting a sharp rebuke from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Germany’s stance has been influenced by its historical commitment to supporting Israel, stemming from the Holocaust. However, this relationship has become increasingly strained since the devastating Gaza war began following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

German far-left opposition politician Sahra Wagenknecht criticized German weapons supplies to Israel, saying they are “aiding and abetting war crimes.”

“Israel has the right to protect itself and its citizens,” she told the Rheinische Post daily. “But Israel does not have the law on its side when it razes Gaza to the ground and buries its inhabitants under rubble and ash with unbridled ruthlessness.”

She added that “this brutality is being repeated in Lebanon. Israel’s government, which is partly made up of right-wing radicals, is threatening to plunge an entire region into the abyss. There must be no weapons from Germany for this.”

Human rights groups have expressed concerns over the continued supply of arms, citing potential violations of international humanitarian law.

Recall that the South African government filed its case with the International Court of Justice late last year. It alleged that Israel was breaching the genocide convention in its military assault that has laid waste to large swaths of Gaza.
The court has ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah but stopped short of ordering a cease-fire for the enclave. Israel has not complied and shows no sign of doing so.