German Churches Demand Halt of Arms Transfers to Israel
The Joint Conference Church and Development pressed the German government "not to supply Israel with any military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip, even after the very fragile ceasefire (Oct. 10 declaration), until the situation in Gaza has stabilized sufficiently and there is no longer a clear risk that this military equipment could be used in serious violations of international humanitarian law," Karl Juesten, the group's co-chair, told a press briefing in Berlin.
Juesten condemned Berlin's recent move to restart weapons shipments to Gaza, characterizing it as "premature."
He emphasized that "Israel's conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip is in many respects incompatible with the requirements of international humanitarian law, particularly with regard to the treatment of the civilian population."
Germany declared on Nov. 17 it would remove constraints on military sales to Israel, pointing to what officials described as a "stabilized ceasefire" in Gaza and emerging regional diplomatic achievements.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz had imposed the limitations on Aug. 8, blocking authorization of weapons shipments potentially deployable in the Gaza conflict. That action followed Israel's announcement of comprehensive ground operations and blockage of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza.
Germany's military exports to Israel have remained controversial and sparked numerous legal challenges from advocacy organizations and Gaza inhabitants. The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, which backed plaintiffs in their judicial efforts, has consistently argued that Berlin's approval of weapons transfers to Israel breaches international treaties Germany ratified, including the Geneva Convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.
Palestinians charge Israel with systematically breaking the Gaza ceasefire terms. At least 393 individuals have perished and 1,074 sustained injuries in Israeli strikes since the truce commenced, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Israel has killed over 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured more than 171,000 in Gaza since October 2023 and reduced most of the enclave to rubble.
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