Agency Report –
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has left open the question of whether the Israeli overnight attacks on Iran will have consequences for his country’s arms exports to Israel.
During a visit to Cairo at the start of his first Middle East trip – hours after scores of warplanes targeted Iran’s nuclear sites and military leadership – the diplomat said the Federal Security Council would take its time to discuss the issue.
“But I don’t expect any far-reaching decisions to be made in the short term,” Wadephul added.
In recent weeks, there have been repeated calls from the Social Democrats – the junior partner in Germany’s new ruling coalition – for a halt to arms deliveries due to Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip.
However, the conservative alliance of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, to which Wadephul belongs, rejects a ban on exports.
Following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel until May 13, 2025, arms exports worth almost €500 million ($578 million) were approved for Israel, the Economics Ministry said recently in response to a question in parliament.
It is not known whether and to what extent the new German government has authorized exports during its first weeks in office.
Peace efforts
Wadephul was set to meet with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in Cairo on Friday amid ongoing efforts to halt the fighting in the Gaza Strip.
He and Abdelatty are due to discuss the dramatic humanitarian situation in Gaza, including ways to provide support to the Palestinian population as well as a potential path to peace.
Egypt, which borders the embattled Gaza Strip, has been a vocal supporter of the Palestinians, strongly rejecting proposals by Israel and the United States to resettle Gazans to Arab states in the region.
The northern African country has also been involved in mediating ceasefire negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian extremist group Hamas.
Germany officially supports the two-state solution, which envisions an independent Palestinian state coexisting peacefully alongside Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas both adamantly reject this solution to the decades-old conflict.
Egyptian officials might try to persuade Germany, one of Israel’s strongest backers behind the US, to exert pressure on Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza.
Following his visit to Egypt, Wadephul was scheduled to travel to Lebanon in the evening to continue his first extensive Middle East trip since taking office in early May.
He is also due to visit Jordan and Israel, although it was unclear whether that would change in light of current events.
By Jörg Blank
