German church organization urges halt of arms exports to Israel

(MENAFN) A German church organization representing both Catholic and Protestant communities has called on the government to suspend arms exports to Israel, citing concerns over the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

Karl Juesten, co-chair of the Joint Conference Church and Development, told a press briefing in 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.” He criticized Berlin’s recent decision to resume arms deliveries as “premature.”

Juesten also highlighted 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 had announced on November 17 that it would lift restrictions on arms exports to Israel, pointing to what officials described as a “stabilized ceasefire” in Gaza and recent diplomatic developments. Earlier, Chancellor Friedrich Merz had ordered a halt on such exports on August 8 in response to Israel’s ground offensive and the suspension of aid deliveries to Gaza.

The export of German arms to Israel has long been controversial and faced legal challenges from human rights groups and Gaza residents. The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, which supported plaintiffs in those cases, has repeatedly argued that Berlin’s weapons authorizations violate international agreements, including the Geneva Convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.

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