Israel presses, Germany reconsiders: Will the arms embargo be lifted after a Gaza ceasefire?

In the wake of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, attention is turning to Berlin, where the Israeli government hopes Germany will lift the partial ban on arms exports and end travel warnings for certain areas inside Israel.

The move followed comments by Sharren Haskel, Israel’s deputy foreign minister, during her visit to the German capital, where she said: “Now that the war is over, we expect the German government to lift these two restrictions.”

Haskel stressed Israel’s appreciation for continued German support, expressing confidence in Berlin’s role as an active player in peace efforts and saying her country would be willing to accept German participation in a possible peacekeeping force. “We trust you,” she added, pointing to German solidarity demonstrations after October 7, 2023, which she described as evidence of the German people’s support for Israel.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz ordered a temporary halt to arms exports to Israel in August 2023, a step seen as an implicit criticism of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s policies while avoiding direct sanctions. With the ceasefire now in effect, Merz has indicated that these restrictions “will need to be reconsidered,” stressing the need to coordinate with coalition partners before any decision is taken.
By contrast, the conservative parliamentary bloc to which Merz belongs has called for the restrictions to be lifted quickly, while the Social Democratic Party remains reluctant to announce its final position, reflecting continued debate within the German government.

On travel, the German Foreign Ministry has issued comprehensive warnings against travel to Israel since the outbreak of the war, urging citizens to avoid moving around Tel Aviv until further notice.