By Oliver Towfigh Nia
BERLIN (AA) - Germany’s Green Party co-leader Franziska Brantner on Thursday called for a weapons export ban on Israel if it is proven that these arms are being used in Gaza in violation of international law.
"No German weapons may be used in Gaza in violation of international law, and therefore an export ban is needed," Brantner told Der Spiegel news magazine.
According to her, the German government must follow up on Chancellor Friedrich Merz's criticism of Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip with action.
"If the Chancellor's finding is that Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip violate international humanitarian law, then this must have consequences for German foreign policy," she added.
Whether German weapons are being used for self-defense or to expel the Palestinian civilian population is not always easy to verify, Brantner pointed out.
"But if we want to equally fulfill our responsibility for Israel's security and international law, we must make this distinction."
She proposed more consistent action against Israeli settlement policy, as well as tougher sanctions against "individuals who directly commit or order violent crimes against the Palestinian population, including in the West Bank."
This could also affect Israeli ministers such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich or Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, she said.
A majority of Germans oppose weapons exports to Israel, according to a new poll released Tuesday, as international criticism mounts over Israel's military offensive in Gaza and restrictions on humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
The Civey survey for the Der Tagesspiegel newspaper found that 51% of respondents are against arms deliveries to Israel, with opposition particularly strong among left-wing voters, where four out of five oppose such exports.
Among Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats, 34% said they were against weapons exports to Israel, while 22% were undecided. Within the coalition partner Social Democrats, 48% considered weapons exports to Israel wrong.
The poll also revealed growing public demand for Berlin to distance itself from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Some 44% of respondents favored a more critical stance toward Israel, up from 33% in summer 2023. In contrast, only 23% advocated for even closer ties with the Israeli government.
The poll also revealed that roughly two-thirds of Germans want their government to press Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. This sentiment was especially strong among older Germans, with nearly three-quarters of those over 65 supporting increased political pressure on Israel, compared to half of those aged 18-29.
The survey was conducted between May 23 and May 26, 2025, and included responses from more than 3,000 German citizens aged 18 and above.