Latest news with #armsExport
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's Merz defends partial weapons halt to Israel
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany's stance on the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza remains unchanged despite his government's order to suspend arms to Israel which could be used in Gaza. "We will continue to help this country to defend itself," Merz told German public broadcaster ARD on Sunday, adding that despite this stance, the German government could not supply weapons to a conflict where hundreds to thousands of civilians could be killed. The move to partially halt German arms exports to Israel comes after Israel's Security Cabinet announced Israel would take over Gaza City. That plan has been condemned by UN chief Antonio Guterres and numerous countries such as the UK, France and Canada, who believe it will exacerbate Gaza's ongoing humanitarian crisis. Merz takes responsibility amid conservative criticism "Solidarity with Israel does not mean we consider every single decision by the Israeli government to be good, or that we support it, even to the extent of providing military support in the form of weapons," Merz said, also emphasizing his responsibility for the new policy. "I did not make this decision alone, but at the end of the day, I'm fully responsible for it," the chancellor said. Merz's decision to halt the export of offensive arms which could be used in Israel's war in Gaza has been met with criticism within the chancellor's own conservative party (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party (CSU). CDU Bundestag lawmaker Carsten Müller condemned the decision "in the strongest of terms," while adding that it ignores the importance of the security cooperation with Israel for the German army and NATO. Members of Bavaria's CSU party, too, condemned the arms export halt. The CSU parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, Alexander Hoffmann, on Saturday told German paper Bild that his party was not involved in Merz's decision and "we consider it questionable." CDU lawmaker and foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen, however, supported Merz's decision. Röttgen told the Rheinische Post newspaper on Saturday that he supported the export halt: "This reaction is correct and has unfortunately become inevitable due to the latest decisions by the Israeli government." The conservative bloc's coalition partners, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), largely support the decision. Merz 'buckled' under pressure, Netanyahu says In a press conference to foreign media on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Merz "buckled under" the pressure of news reports which the Israeli leader labeled as false. Netanyahu said he hopes German chancellor would change his decision. Germany is one of Israel's staunchest supporters, with former Chancellor Angela Merkel saying Israel's security is Germany's Staatsräson (reason of state). Germany feels a special responsibility for Israel due to the Holocaust, where 6 million Jews were killed from 1933 to 1945 by the German Nazi regime. Germany has stood by Israel and supported Israel's ongoing military operation in Gaza after Hamas carried out its October 7, 2023 terror attacks on Israel. Merz's decision to now halt certain exports to Israel is a significant course change by Germany, as Israel finds itself increasingly estranged from its partners in Europe. In recent weeks, France and the UK said they would formally recognize Palestinian statehood, drawing criticism from Netanyahu. Edited by: Wesley Dockery
Arab News
03-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Spain cancels contract for missiles built by Israeli subsidiary
MADRID: Spain has canceled a deal for anti-tank missile systems that were to be manufactured in Madrid by a subsidiary of an Israeli company, in a bid to move away from Israeli military technology, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. The decision will affect the license for 168 SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile systems with an estimated value of 285 million euros ($325 million). The systems would have been developed in Spain by Pap Tecnos, a Madrid-based subsidiary of Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, according to local press. 'The goal is clear ... a total disconnection from Israeli technology,' government spokesperson Pilar Alegria said, adding the government is studying 'the effects of the cancelation.' Israel's Defense Ministry referred questions on the decision to Rafael, which said it wasn't aware of the cancelation. Pap Tecnos, located on the outskirts of Madrid, did not comment. Spain approved the deal on Oct. 3, 2023, four days before an insurgent assault led by Hamas on southern Israel that sparked a devastating war in Gaza. Authorities argued at the time that the systems used by the Spanish forces were obsolete and should be replaced with up-to-date versions like those used by allied armies. Spain's leftist government says it stopped exporting arms to Israel as of Oct. 2, 2023, but there were reports that some shipments slipped through. The US late last year opened an investigation into whether NATO ally Spain denied port entry to at least three cargo vessels reportedly transporting US weapons to Israel. Spain formally recognized a Palestinian state in May 2024 in a coordinated effort with Norway and Ireland. A month later, Spain became the first European country to ask the top UN court, the International Court of Justice, permission to join a case mounted by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Asharq Al-Awsat
03-06-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Spain Cancels Contract for Anti-tank Missiles Built by Israeli Subsidiary
Spain has cancelled a deal for anti-tank missile systems that were to be manufactured in Madrid by a subsidiary of an Israeli company, in a bid to move away from Israeli military technology, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The decision will affect the license for 168 SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile systems with an estimated value of 285 million euros ($325 million). The systems would have been developed in Spain by Pap Tecnos, a Madrid-based subsidiary of Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, according to local press. 'The goal is clear...a total disconnection from Israeli technology,' government spokesperson Pilar Alegría told reporters, adding the government is studying 'the effects of the cancellation.' Israel's Defense Ministry referred questions on the decision to Rafael, which told Associated Press it wasn't aware of the cancellation. Pap Tecnos, located on the outskirts of Madrid, did not comment. Spain approved the deal on Oct. 3, 2023, four days before an assault led by Hamas on southern Israel that sparked a devastating war in Gaza. Authorities argued at the time that the systems used by the Spanish forces were obsolete and should be replaced for up-to-date versions like those used by allied armies. Spain's leftist government says it stopped exporting arms to Israel as of Oct. 2, 2023, but there were reports some shipments slipped through. United States late last year opened an investigation into whether NATO ally Spain denied port entry to at least three cargo vessels reportedly transporting US weapons to Israel. Spain formally recognized a Palestinian state in May 2024 in a coordinated effort with Norway and Ireland. A month later, Spain became the first European country to ask the top United Nations court, the International Court of Justice, permission to join a case mounted by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza. Israel strongly denies the charge.
CTV News
03-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Spain cancels contract for anti-tank missiles built by Israeli subsidiary
Spain's Defence Minister Margarita Robles arrives for a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File) MADRID — Spain has cancelled a deal for anti-tank missile systems that were to be manufactured in Madrid by a subsidiary of an Israeli company, in a bid to move away from Israeli military technology, the Defence Ministry said Tuesday. The decision will affect the licence for 168 SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile systems with an estimated value of 285 million euros (US$325 million). The systems would have been developed in Spain by Pap Tecnos, a Madrid-based subsidiary of Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, according to local press. 'The goal is clear...a total disconnection from Israeli technology,' government spokesperson Pilar Alegría told reporters, adding the government is studying 'the effects of the cancellation.' Israel's Defense Ministry referred questions on the decision to Rafael, which declined to comment. Pap Tecnos did not comment. Spain approved the deal on Oct. 3, 2023, four days before an insurgent assault led by Hamas on southern Israel that sparked a devastating war in Gaza. Spain's leftist government says it stopped exporting arms to Israel as of Oct. 2, 2023, but there where reports some shipments slipped through. Authorities argued at the time that the systems used by the Spanish forces were obsolete and should be replaced for up-to-date versions like those used by allied armies. Spain formally recognized a Palestinian state in May 2024 a coordinated effort with Norway and Ireland. A month later, Spain became the first European country to ask the top United Nations court, the International Court of Justice, permission to join a case mounted by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza. Israel strongly denies the charge. ____ AP journalist Natalie Melzer in Nahariya, Israel, contributed. The Associated Press
Al Arabiya
03-06-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Spain cancels contract for anti-tank missiles made by Israeli company
Spain is cancelling the purchase of anti-tank missile systems that were to be manufactured in Spain by a subsidiary of an Israeli company, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday, confirming Spanish media reports. The decision will affect the purchase of 168 SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile systems with an estimated value of 285 million euros ($325 million). The systems would have been developed in Spain by Pap Tecnos, a subsidiary of Israel's Rafael Advance Defense Systems, according to local press. The Spanish government approved the project on Oct. 3, 2023, four days before an insurgent assault led by Hamas on southern Israel that sparked a devastating war in Gaza. Spain's leftist government says it stopped exporting arms to Israel as of Oct. 2, 2023, but there where reports some shipments slipped through. In May last year, Spain formally recognized a Palestinian state in a coordinated effort with Norway and Ireland. Israel faces legal action at two international courts in The Hague, Netherlands. South Africa has filed a case at the top United Nations court, the International Court of Justice, alleging genocide by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel strongly denies the charge. Judges at the International Criminal Court last year issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant. The warrants allege crimes against humanity, claiming they used 'starvation as a method of warfare' in Gaza. Netanyahu said Israel 'rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions' by the court.
