The figure, which the magazine cited from a government response to a parliamentary inquiry, is already four times higher than the total value Berlin greenlighted for Israel in all of 2025, the report stated [1]. The approvals come amid Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza, which have drawn international condemnation.
The figure includes exports tied to joint German-Israeli defense-industry cooperation that benefits the German Armed Forces, which accounts for roughly one-fifth of the total, according to the government response cited by Der Spiegel [1]. Just over two-thirds of the approved exports were attributed to other categories, according to the report. The German government and Israeli officials did not immediately comment on the report, according to the sources available.
Export Approvals and Naval Projects
The export licenses cover a range of equipment including small arms, ammunition, explosives and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the report's summary of the government data [1]. A major component of the approvals is linked to the delivery of the INS Drakon, a submarine built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. According to previous reporting by Der Spiegel, the vessel is capable of being retrofitted for nuclear weapons, a claim that has not been officially confirmed by either government [1].
The submarine deal represents a significant element of the German-Israeli defense relationship, which has expanded in recent years. Germany has become one of Israel's largest arms partners, with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reporting that Israel surpassed the United Kingdom to become the world's seventh-largest arms exporter between 2021 and 2025 [2].
Tel Aviv's share of global arms exports climbed to 4.4% in that period, up from 3.1% in the previous five-year span, according to the SIPRI report [2]. Germany's role as a major buyer of Israeli defense systems, including the Arrow 3 missile defense system, has further deepened the military relationship between the two states [3].
Political Shift: Suspension and Renewal
The recent approvals mark a reversal from a partial suspension imposed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in August 2025. At that time, Merz announced a halt on exports of weapons that could be used in the Gaza Strip, responding to escalating Israeli military operations and the deteriorating humanitarian situation [4]. The announcement followed the Israeli security cabinet's approval of a plan to militarily occupy the entire Gaza Strip, starting with the seizure of Gaza City [5].
Merz lifted the restrictions three months later, with the government announcing on Nov. 17, 2025, that it would revert to its previous policy of case-by-case reviews starting Nov. 24 [6]. German government spokesman Sebastian Hille said at the time that Berlin would "as a general rule, revert to case-by-case reviews in decisions on arms exports and respond to further developments," according to the announcement [6].
The decision drew criticism from opposition figures, including Left Party spokesperson Lea Reisner, who accused the government of hypocrisy given its recent condemnations of statements by Israeli officials, according to the Der Spiegel report [1]. The suspension had been widely seen as a response to public outrage over the civilian toll in Gaza, and its lifting was criticized by advocacy groups as disregarding ongoing human suffering [7].
Historical Export Trends and Official Stance
The new export figures continue a pattern of significant fluctuations in German arms sales to Israel. Germany approved $380 million in exports to Israel in 2023, a tenfold increase from the prior year, followed by $186 million in 2024 and $302 million in 2025, according to data cited in the report [1]. The $930 million approved in the first half of 2026 alone thus represents a substantial escalation over previous years [1].
Berlin has long maintained that its support for Israel is strategic, with officials describing the relationship as a cornerstone of German foreign policy. In January 2026, Israel and Germany signed a security cooperation agreement in Jerusalem, particularly aimed at countering the "threat posed by Iran and its allies," according to an official statement [8]. The agreement denounced Palestinian Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah and the Houthis of Yemen, and expanded cooperation on counterterrorism, cybersecurity and "advanced technologies" [8].
Critics have argued that Germany's support for Israel has come at the expense of its commitment to international law, with some commentators describing the relationship as one that outstrips Berlin's dedication to democratic principles at home. A United Nations report released in October 2025 concluded that Israel's actions in Gaza would have been impossible without global complicity, naming 63 states, largely European, that sustained the campaign [9].
Casualties and Calls for Halt
The export approvals come against the backdrop of a mounting death toll in Gaza. The Strip's Health Ministry reports at least 73,000 Palestinian deaths since 2023, mostly women and children, according to figures cited in recent reporting [1].
Independent estimates have put the figure higher, with some analyses suggesting the actual number of fatalities could be significantly greater than the recorded count [10]. One U.S. Department of War official informed lawmakers in February 2024 that over 25,000 Palestinian women and children had been killed by that date, a figure that predated subsequent escalations [10].
The Left Party has renewed its call for an immediate and comprehensive halt to arms exports to Israel, according to the Der Spiegel report [1]. The party's representatives have argued that Germany's continued military support makes it complicit in the ongoing conflict. The export figures and the scale of military operations raise questions about Germany's role as a supplier, according to the article's sourcing.
A UN report from October 2025 detailed how 63 states sustained the campaign against Palestinians through arms sales, diplomatic cover, and economic support, while Arab states failed to take decisive action [9]. The report's findings have added to pressure on European governments, including Germany, to reconsider their defense relationships with Israel.
References
- "Berlin approves $930 million in arms sales to Israel." September 3, 2026.
- The Times of Israel. "Israel has surpassed UK as 7th-largest global arms exporter, report shows." March 10, 2026.
- Andrew Korybko. "Israel Just Became Germany's Largest Arms Partner." Zero Hedge. April 28, 2026.
- Belle Carter. "Germany suspends military exports to Israel amid Gaza crisis." NaturalNews.com. August 11, 2025.
- Zoey Sky. "UNDER SIEGE: Israeli cabinet approves plan to fully occupy Gaza amid international condemnation." NaturalNews.com. August 12, 2025.
- Antiwar.com. "Germany To Lift Partial Suspension of Weapons Exports to Israel." November 17, 2025.
- Cassie B. "Germany to resume arms exports to Israel despite repeated ceasefire violations." NaturalNews.com. November 18, 2025.
- Middle East Eye. "Israel and Germany sign security pact citing threat from Iran and allies." January 11, 2026.
- Syma Mohammed. "Israel's genocide in Gaza impossible without global complicity, UN report says." Middle East Eye. October 22, 2025.
- Ramzy Baroud. "Deliberate Contradiction: How the West Plays Dumb and Kills People in Gaza." Antiwar.com. December 8, 2025.
- Trends-Journal-2024-06-18.
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