German church group urges to stop arms exports to Israel
The Joint Conference Church and Development urged Berlin “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,” said Karl Juesten, the group’s co-chair, during a press briefing in Berlin.
Juesten described Germany’s recent resumption of arms deliveries to Israel as “premature.”
He further criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza, stating that it “is in many respects incompatible with the requirements of international humanitarian law, particularly with regard to the treatment of the civilian population.”
Germany had announced on Nov. 17 that it would lift restrictions on arms exports to Israel, citing a “stabilized ceasefire” and recent diplomatic progress. Earlier, Chancellor Friedrich Merz had halted approval of weapons shipments on Aug. 8 following Israel’s full-scale ground offensive and interruptions to aid deliveries in Gaza.
Arms exports to Israel have long been controversial in Germany, drawing legal challenges from rights groups and Gaza residents. The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights has repeatedly argued that Berlin’s approval of arms shipments violates international agreements, including the Geneva Convention.
Palestinians continue to accuse Israel of repeatedly violating the Gaza ceasefire. Since its implementation, at least 393 people have been killed and 1,074 injured in attacks, according to Gaza Health Ministry figures. More broadly, Israeli operations since October 2023 have killed over 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and left more than 171,000 injured, reducing much of Gaza to rubble.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
