
Germany Halts Arms Exports To Israel As World Reacts To Gaza Conquest Plan
Germany has announced itself as the latest European nation to suspend its arms exports to Israel, noting that these could be used in human rights violations and potential war crimes in the Gaza Strip. Berlin backs the anti-Hamas fight, however.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz made clear as Israel's military is poised to take over Gaza city his government will not approve or transfer any exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza until further notice.
Merz says it was 'increasingly difficult to understand' how the Israeli military plan could achieve its war aims in a legitimate way, adding:
'Under these circumstances, the German government will not authorise any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice.'
The German arms industry has historically been among the globe's largest arms suppliers to Israel. Of course, the US has long been far and away the biggist supplier of arms, and under Trump this doesn't look to cease – with Germany coming in second, according to global monitors, over the last half-decade.
'Israel has the right to defend itself against the terror of Hamas,' Merz continued in his statement. 'The release of the hostages and determined negotiations on a ceasefire are our top priority. The disarmament of Hamas is essential. Hamas must not play a role in the future of Gaza.'
But apparently Merz vehemently disagress with the practical how in terms of the methods whereby this is accomplished. Global critics have said Israel is conducting ethnic cleansing and ultimately plans to annex the strip.
PM Netanyahu has sought to deflect this criticism by saying Israel will conquer the whole enclave, but that it doesn't ultimatley want to govern it. This vaguely suggests it could be handed over to an entity like the Palestinian Authority (PA) one day, but likely this would be done (or not done at all) by a future Israeli government.
Shekel Falls After Cabinet Approves Plan to Seize Gaza City–Bloomberg
Meanwhile other major powers like China are raising the alarm over Israel's takeover plan, with China on Friday expressing 'serious concerns' over the move on Gaza City, urging it to 'immediately cease its dangerous actions.'
'Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory,' a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson told the AFP. 'The correct way to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to secure the release of hostages is an immediate ceasefire.'
'A complete resolution to the Gaza conflict hinges on a ceasefire; only then can a path to de-escalation be paved and regional security ensured,' the Chinese government statement said. Beijing is 'willing to work together with the international community to help end the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible,' it added.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Gulf Insider
9 hours ago
- Gulf Insider
Germany's Federal Employment Agency Is Promoting Welfare Benefits To Young Migrants
Germany's Federal Employment Agency is actively promoting the country's 'citizen's benefit' (Bürgergeld) to young migrants, presenting it online as a straightforward and appealing option for those without work. A dedicated section of the agency's website, written in English for 'people from abroad,' features a smiling young couple — including a man in his early thirties holding a book and a woman in a hijab — under the headline: 'If you are unable to finance your own living expenses, under certain circumstances the Jobcenter will support you with the citizen's benefit.' The site outlines that the benefit is a state welfare payment for those with 'no income or who do not earn enough money' to support themselves and their dependents. Basic eligibility criteria are listed plainly: 'You are capable of working,' 'You are at least 15 years old,' and 'You live in Germany and the center of your life is here.' The guidance stresses that applicants need not be elderly or unfit for work — those under 15 or unable to work can also receive support if they are part of a 'community of need' with someone who qualifies. Alongside the requirements, the website presents the process as quick and simple. A prominent red box invites visitors to 'apply online,' advising them that if they already have an account, they can begin their application 'immediately.' The page also sets out obligations for recipients — attending Jobcenter appointments, informing the agency of any changes in personal circumstances — but the overall tone is one of ease and accessibility. Writing in Focus, columnist Jan Fleischhauer uses the site as a starting point for a broader critique of Germany's welfare policy toward migrants. He notes that 'one in two recipients of the citizen's benefit doesn't have a German passport,' and says the warm, promotional tone of the agency's online material undermines political claims that immigration is essential to sustain the social safety net. 'Germany is so generous that it not only explains to immigrants from abroad how to get a job, but also how to make ends meet in Germany without one,' he writes. Fleischhauer argues that few countries would so openly market their welfare systems to newcomers, and that the policy has been 'a complete success' in driving take-up among non-citizens. He points to the steady rise in costs — from €39 billion in 2022 to €47 billion in 2024 — not including accommodation and healthcare expenses. He also highlights Health Minister Nina Warken's proposal to shift medical costs for Bürgergeld recipients out of health insurance budgets and into general taxation, claiming advocates of the benefit 'fear nothing more than transparency' about the true financial burden. Remix News has reported often on the imbalance between German citizens and foreigners receiving welfare benefits. In November last year, we cited statistics from the Federal Employment Agency (BA) which showed that of the 4 million people who can work but receive social benefits in Germany, more than 2.5 million have a migration background, constituting 63.5 percent of all recipients. This group includes foreigners and those who have a foreign background, which means their parents may have been born abroad. In June, Bild reported how nearly half of Germany's €17.68 billion in housing support for 2024 was paid out to foreigners, citing government data. The money, distributed under the citizen's benefit system, was used to cover rent, heating, operating costs, and deposits for low-income residents. Of the total, €8.15 billion went to people without German citizenship, even though they make up just around 15 percent of the population. The remaining €9.53 billion went to German citizens — this includes German-born individuals and those born elsewhere who have become naturalized. Following its electoral success, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) vowed to address the rising costs of immigrants claiming benefits. Its General Secretary, Carsten Linnemann, warned against this trend in April. 'Once again, it shows how urgently this citizen's allowance needs to be abolished.' He said the new government, which his party will lead, will 'tackle this quickly.'


Daily Tribune
12 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Greta Thunberg, activists plan new aid flotilla to Gaza
TDT | Stockholm Greta Thunberg said she and a Palestinian activist group plan to sail a new flotilla loaded with humanitarian aid to Gaza to break the 'illegal Israeli siege'. Two other attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to Gaza, in June and July, were blocked by Israel. Troops boarded their vessels and detained the activists before expelling them. 'On August 31st we are launching the biggest attempt ever to break the illegal Israeli siege over Gaza with dozens of boats sailing from Spain,' the Swedish campaigner wrote on Instagram late Sunday.


Daily Tribune
12 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Europeans plan Ukraine talks with Trump before he meets Putin
European leaders plan talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, two days before Trump is set to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss the Ukraine war, Berlin said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited the French, British and other European leaders and the EU and NATO chiefs to the virtual talks, his spokesman said, amid fears across Europe that any deal made without Ukraine could force unacceptable compromises. Merz's office said yesterday the video conference in various rounds of talks would discuss 'further options to exert pressure on Russia' and 'preparation of possible peace negotiations and related issues of territorial claims and security'. French President Emmanuel Macron's office said he and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer were also involved in planning Wednesday's meeting of the 'coalition of the willing'. Trump and Putin will meet in the US state of Alaska on Friday to try to resolve the three-year war but the European Union has insisted that Kyiv and European powers should be part of any deal to end the conflict. Trump said yesterday he expected the meeting with Putin to be 'constructive' and expressed unhappiness with Zelensky for ruling out territorial concessions to Russia. 'I'm going to speak to Vladimir Putin and I'm going to be telling him 'you've got to end this war,'' Trump said at a White House press conference. As EU foreign ministers began an emergency meeting on Ukraine yesterday, Merz announced the initiative to keep Europe at the table. Merz's office said he would on Wednesday talk to leaders from 'Finland, France, the UK, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, the heads of the European Commission and Council, the secretary general of NATO, as well as the US president and his deputy'. According to Germany's Bild daily, a first conference call will include the European leaders, Zelensky, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. This would be followed by a joint call with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, the newspaper said. The idea of a US-Russia meeting without Zelensky has raised concerns that a deal could require Ukraine to cede swathes of territory, which the EU has rejected. Over the weekend, several European leaders pushed Trump to exert more pressure on Russia in a joint statement and warned that 'the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine'. 'Testing Putin' Ahead of yesterday's EU talks, Zelensky warned against capitulating to Putin's demands. 'Russia refuses to stop the killings, and therefore must not receive any rewards or benefits. And this is not just a moral position -- it is a rational one,' Zelensky wrote in a statement published on social media. 'Concessions do not persuade a killer,' he added. Asked on CNN on Sunday if Zelensky could be present at the Alaska summit, US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker responded that 'yes, I certainly think it's possible.' 'Certainly, there can't be a deal that everybody that's involved in it doesn't agree to. And, I mean, obviously, it's a high priority to get this war to end.' The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also said any US-Russia deal to end the war had to include Ukraine and the bloc. 'The US has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously,' she said. 'Any deal between the US and Russia must have Ukraine and the EU included, for it is a matter of Ukraine's and the whole of Europe's security.'