Hearing of the Supreme Administrative Court of Brandenburg
The Higher Administrative Court of Brandenburg (OVG) has held a hearing on a lawsuit filed by a Palestinian father and son to block the German government’s arms exports to Israel. The court said it had rejected the request to halt arms exports to Tel Aviv. This case follows a similar case filed in Germany in June 2024. At the time, the Berlin Administrative Court also rejected an appeal by some Palestinians living in Gaza, who claimed that German weapons could violate international humanitarian law.
Germany’s Arms Exports
Germany is the largest arms supplier to Israel after the United States. As of 2023, the German government has delivered a total of €326.5 million worth of arms to Israel and has approved 308 separate licenses for the export of military equipment, worth approximately €327 million. Notable items include:
- 2 Sa’ar 6 class corvettes
- Armored personnel carrier Eitan APC
- 50 MT883Ka diesel engines for Merkava-4 tanks
- 50 MT883Ka diesel engines for Namer APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers)
- 10 DM2A4 Seehecht (SeaHake mod 4) underwater missiles for Dolphin submarines
- More than 10 thousand 120 mm tank ammunition
Germany’s arms exports of this kind are causing discussions and criticism in the international community. In this context, the importance of legal processes and decisions is increasing.
