Berlin, 19 September 2024 (dpa/MIA) - The German government has denied a media report that Germany is no longer issuing authorizations for arms exports to Israel.

"There is no moratorium on arms exports to Israel, and there will be no moratorium," a spokesman for the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which is responsible for the matter, told dpa in Berlin late Wednesday following an enquiry.

A government spokesman told dpa: "There is no German arms export boycott against Israel."

The spokesman for the ministry explained: "The federal government decides on the granting of authorizations for arms exports in each individual case and in the light of the respective situation after careful examination, taking into account foreign and security policy considerations in accordance with legal and political requirements."

In doing so, the German government takes into account compliance with international humanitarian law, he explained further.

"When considering each individual case, the current situation is always taken into account, including the attacks on Israel by Hamas and Hezbollah as well as the course of the operation in Gaza," the spokesman said.

In a podcast published on September 11, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that after the attacks on Israel by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas on October 7, Germany had done everything it could to support Israel's self-defence.

Under no circumstances, however, could Germany support anything that violated international humanitarian law.

"That is why, with regard to arms exports ... there were no arms exports after October 7 that could be used in Gaza and that would commit a breach of international law there," Baerbock said.

According to the foreign minister, Germany's arms exports to Israel include goods that Israel can use to bring down Iranian drones and missiles. "But you can't use air defence to destroy hospitals in Gaza," the minister added.

Last year, the German government approved arms exports worth €326.5 million ($362.5 million) to Israel - 10 times as much as in the previous year. Most of this was authorized after the Hamas attack on October 7.

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