On Friday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Germany will suspend the export of military equipment to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip “until further notice.” The move marks a dramatic break from Berlin’s decades-long position of unconditional support for Israel and comes in direct response to the Israeli government’s approval of a plan to fully occupy the Gaza Strip. This plan, endorsed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet on Thursday night, has sparked debate both within Israel and abroad. Merz expressed deep skepticism about its viability, saying, “It is increasingly difficult to understand how the Israeli military plan will help achieve the legitimate aims of disarming Hamas and freeing the hostages.”
Germany is Israel’s second-largest arms supplier after the United States, accounting for 33% of Israeli arms imports between 2020 and 2024. From October 2023 to May 2025, Germany authorized €485 million ($564 million) worth of arms exports, including firearms, ammunition, naval equipment, and armored vehicles. Historically, Germany has defended this support by citing its historical responsibility stemming from the Holocaust. However, Merz has faced mounting political pressure at home, especially from the center-left Social Democrats, to take a firmer stance on Gaza. An ARD poll found that 66% of Germans support applying more political influence over Israel’s actions, reflecting a shift in public opinion. Despite this, Berlin has resisted recognizing a Palestinian state, unlike France, the UK, and Canada, and has not supported suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
With this decision, Germany becomes the seventh European nation to impose restrictions on arms exports to Israel. Slovenia is the only country to implement a total ban, while Spain, Italy, and the UK have introduced partial restrictions. The Netherlands halted exports of F-35 fighter jets to Israel last year. Merz’s decision is widely seen as an attempt to appease domestic critics while signaling a subtle shift in Europe’s approach to Israel, highlighting a growing divergence with the United States, where the Trump administration continues to maintain unwavering support for Israel.