What percentage of Germans support tighter arms export controls to Israel?

A poll showed that 73% of Germans want tighter controls on arms exports to Israel.

What has prompted the shift in public opinion regarding arms exports?

The shift in public opinion follows Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and subsequent Israeli actions in Gaza.

What is Chancellor Friedrich Merz's stance on Israel's military actions?

Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Israel's intensified airstrikes in Gaza, stating they are no longer justified or comprehensible.

How does the German public feel about unconditional support for Israel?

The survey found that 74% of Germans oppose the idea that Germany should stand unconditionally with Israel in the Middle East conflict.

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Home > Headlines > Large majority of Germans want tighter controls on arms exports to Israel

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Large majority of Germans want tighter controls on arms exports to Israel

Q: What military equipment has Germany exported to Israel recently?

Between Hamas' attack and mid-May, Germany approved military equipment exports to Israel worth 485 million euros, including firearms, ammunition, and special armored vehicles.

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®

Posted on June 4, 2025

2 min read

Last updated: January 23, 2026

Large majority of Germans want tighter controls on arms exports to Israel - Headlines news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review

Majority of Germans Favor Stricter Arms Export Controls to Israel

BERLIN (Reuters) -Some 73% of Germans want tighter controls on arms exports to Israel, including 30% who favour a total ban, a poll showed on Wednesday, reflecting growing public unease over the government's Israel policy.

Since Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Germany has remained one of Israel's staunchest allies and its second largest arms supplier, despite Israel's increasing international isolation and rising criticism over its devastating war in Gaza.

Between Hamas' attack and mid-May this year, Germany approved military equipment exports to Israel worth 485 million euros ($553.72 million), according to a response to a parliamentary inquiry published on Tuesday.

The deliveries included firearms, ammunition, weapons parts, special equipment for the army and navy, electronic equipment, and special armoured vehicles.

No lawsuit challenging German arms exports to Israel has yet succeeded, including a case brought by Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice.

But Germany's stance shifted last week when new Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticised Israel's intensified airstrikes in Gaza, calling them no longer justified or comprehensible. His foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, warned of possible consequences - hinting at steps towards arms export sanctions.

Three out of four Germans back Merz's criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza, according to a poll by public broadcaster ARD.

The survey, conducted among 1,292 respondents on June 2-3, also found that 55% reject the idea that Germany bears a special responsibility to protect Israel due to the legacy of the Nazi-era Holocaust of European Jews.

Thirteen percent of those surveyed believe Germany should stand unconditionally with Israel in the Middle East conflict, while 74% opposed such a stance.

Additionally, 63% said Israel's military response in Gaza has gone too far, an increase of six percentage points since August, while 73% consider Israeli military actions unjustified.

($1 = 0.8759 euros)

(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; editing by Mark Heinrich)

Large majority of Germans want tighter controls on arms exports to Israel

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Majority of Germans Favor Stricter Arms Export Controls to Israel

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