Germany lifts restrictions on arms exports to occupied territories

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: According to Reuters, the government official announced that starting next week, arms exports that were suspended last August in response to the Gaza war will resume. He added: "As a general rule, the Berlin government will make decisions on arms exports based on case-by-case reviews and will respond to new developments."

 

According to this decision, the export of weapons that were likely to be used against the Palestinians in Gaza was stopped in August; but the shipment of equipment that was deemed necessary under the pretext of "defending Israel against foreign attacks" continued. Now, with the lifting of these restrictions, the suspended exports will resume from November 24 (Monday next week).

 

Germany is the second-largest arms exporter to Israel after the United States. The decision to suspend exports in August came amid mounting public pressure on the German government to respond to the atrocities committed in the Gaza war.

 

A German government spokesman also said that his country remained “committed to supporting a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on a two-state solution and supporting the reconstruction of Gaza.”