Germany: Parliament rejects proposal to stop arms exports to Israel

The German Federal Parliament rejected a proposal presented by the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) party titled “No weapons for war in Gaza, stop arms exports to Israel.”

BSW Parliamentarian Sevim Dagdelen stressed in a session late on Thursday night that the Israeli attacks on Gaza no longer have anything to do with self-defence.

Dagdelen pointed out that thousands of Palestinian children are at risk of hunger and that the main party responsible for this is the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu, which prevents humanitarian aid from entering Gaza.

In a speech before the German Parliament, Dagdelen stated: “I think that it’s a disgrace that a very large coalition in this House, from the Greens to the AfD, is refusing to impose an arms stop for Israel.”

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Referring to reports that the Israeli occupation army used German weapons and that this was a war crime, Dagdelen criticised that the German government: “Continues to unscrupulously supply weapons and ammunition to Israel – over ten million euros worth of weapons of war and armaments in the last few months, alone. As Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht, we say put an end to this complicity. Declare an arms freeze.”

Left Party (Die Linke) Parliamentarian Nicole Gohlke supported the proposal, expressing: “This is collective punishment of tens of thousands of innocent people.”

Gohlke added: “We are shocked to see the German government taking one side in this conflict and cannot sympathise with all the victims of this war who are demanding its end.”

The ruling coalition renewed its support in a speech in Parliament, claiming that the BSW party, whose proposal was rejected, is playing an “ideological game”.

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