Politics Arms deliveries from Germany to Israel: Palestinians sue
A German court is examining complaints by several Palestinians in the Gaza Strip against arms exports to Israel. In particular, their aim is for the German government to be banned from exporting weapons until the war in Gaza has ended completely.
12.11.2025, 14:30
SDA
In the case of 3,000 portable anti-tank weapons, it is intended to classify the delivery that has already taken place as unlawful.
In the view of the plaintiffs, Germany's licensing practice violates the country's obligations under international law. A ruling by the Berlin Administrative Court is expected today. Palestinians have tried to stop the export of weapons of war in several summary proceedings without success.
Doctor: destructive power of the weapons seen
One of the original total of seven plaintiffs appeared in person at the hearing, which was moved to the criminal court in the Moabit district for security reasons. The senior physician, who by his own account has lived in Berlin for around 22 years and has been to the Gaza Strip several times, described the events there in visibly emotional terms.
As a doctor on the ground, he witnessed injuries and saw the destructive power of "weapons made in Germany", said the man with German citizenship. As a pediatric intensivist, he fights for their lives - "regardless of their skin color, origin, religion or ethnicity". "I expect the same from others," said the doctor.
One plaintiff died
Together with his father, who lives in the Gaza Strip, the 41-year-old took the Federal Republic of Germany to court. Because he had been living in Germany for so long, his lawsuit would not be successful, as the presiding judge Stephan Groscurth explained. The doctor then withdrew it. He had not expected to be successful, but wanted to try everything. "I want to be able to look my parents in the eye," he said.
One of the lawyers for the other original five plaintiffs explained the situation of his clients: One of them had died in an attack in the Gaza Strip in July at the age of 63. The others lived in refugee camps and had all lost numerous relatives in the war, explained lawyer Remo Klinger.
Arms exports increased after terrorist attack
There have been discussions about German arms deliveries to Israel for months. Following the unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October 2023, Germany significantly increased its arms exports to Israel and prioritized them.
In August of this year, however, in response to the increasingly aggressive actions of the Israeli armed forces at the time, Chancellor Friedrich Merz ordered that no more exports of armaments to Israel that could be used in the Gaza war be approved for the time being. According to the plaintiffs, this order is not enough.
Accordingly, Berlin approved arms deliveries worth at least 2.46 million euros (around 2.28 million Swiss francs) in September, according to an answer from the Ministry of Economics to a parliamentary question from the left-wing parliamentary group in the Bundestag. In comparison: from January 1 to August 8, 2025, export licenses worth a good 250 million euros were issued for Israel.
A ceasefire has been in place in the Gaza war since October 10. However, fighting has resumed several times since then, killing more than 240 Gaza residents and three Israeli soldiers.
