Germany stops arms exports to Israel – fire in Lindenau!

Germany stops arms exports to Israel – fire in Lindenau!

On August 8, 2025, the federal government announced that it would suspend arms exports to Israel until further notice. This decision was made by Chancellor Friedrich Merz after the situation in the Gaza Strip worsened. In view of the threat of Israel's offensive, the German government expressed concern about the suffering of the civilian population in the region. However, it remains unclear which military equipment is affected by this suspension, as detailed information is lacking. According to l-iz.de, the Israeli cabinet led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu already approved plans to take the city of Gaza.

Merz's decision does not come out of nowhere. Over 200 cultural workers have already called for a stop to arms deliveries to Israel. A survey by the Elections Research Group shows that 77 percent of Germans support this temporary suspension. At a press conference with the Jordanian king, Merz emphasized the need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Most recently, he also complained about violations of international humanitarian law, while arms exports to Israel continued, including approved deliveries worth around 90 million euros by the end of June 2023, as [rnd.de](https://www.rnd.de/politik/deutsche- Waffenexporte-nach-israel-was-wurde-liefer-2VRX46OG6VCFZND6EEBPVQ7EPI.html) reported.

Changes in the area of ​​arms exports

The licensing practice for exports of military weapons to Israel has changed fundamentally as a result of the Gaza war. No military weapons have been exported since February 2024. The distinction between war weapons and “other armaments” is important here: While war weapons are designed specifically for military purposes, the category “other armaments” includes a large number of products that can be used militarily. However, the federal government does not disclose any specific information about the military equipment delivered, but only mentions general items on the export list.

Critics from the opposition criticize the lack of transparency in arms exports to Israel, while the federal government points to the welfare of the state. In the past, arms exports worth 161 million euros were approved under Olaf Scholz's traffic light coalition, with the volume in 2023 being more than twice as high as that of the new Merz government, which is currently in power.

Fire in Lindenau

In another report, a fire broke out in the entrance area of ​​a residential building in Lindenau on Friday night. A resident was injured and taken to hospital because smoke inhalation was suspected. The fire caused significant damage to the entrance to the house and the stairwell was inaccessible. The fire department had to rescue several residents from the roof of the building. There is currently no information available about the exact property damage, as reported.

In addition, US President Donald Trump's ultimatum to Russia expires today. Trump and Putin are planning a face-to-face meeting next week. At the same time, maximum temperatures of up to 34 degrees are expected in Germany over the weekend in the southwest, while cooler temperatures of around 25 degrees are expected on the coast.